Scientists are using artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up drug development for neurological conditions. The UK Dementia Research Institute in Edinburgh is analyzing patient data, including voice recordings and eye scans, to determine if existing drugs could be therapeutic.
A trial participant with motor neurone disease (MND), Steve Barrett, shared his vision for the project’s success. MND strips patients of their sense of future and who they are, he says. For him, research is about taking a tablet not just for himself but also to help others.
The established medications are then evaluated across multiple production lots using robots, medical equipment, and computers running specialist algorithms. AI suggests drugs that might be effective could advance into clinical trials involving people like Steven.
According to Prof Chandran, the brain’s complexity means we need sophisticated methods of study. AI and new technologies allow them to do things that were unbelievable when he was at medical school.
Estimates suggest discovering new drugs and introducing them to the market can take up to 10 years or more. However, Prof Chandran believes effective treatments for neurological conditions could become available sooner.