[Good Brain 2022] Professor Kim Daesu "Brain modulation technology can also be used for AI dementia diagnosis"

Professor Kim Dae-su of KAIST is giving a lecture on the topic of "Research for Good Brain and Artificial Intelligence" at the "Good Brain 2022 International Conference" hosted by Asia Economy on the 21st at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Professor Kim Dae-su of KAIST (pictured) expects that AI technology can analyze patterns of various dementia behaviors and verify the effectiveness of dementia treatments currently in development.

At the 'Good Brain 2022 International Conference' hosted by Asia Economy on the 21st, Professor Kim delivered a lecture titled "Research for Good Brain and Artificial Intelligence," explaining how the human brain influences health beyond simple information processing functions.

Professor Kim said, "According to a recent study published in Nature, when brain stem cells from mice are properly cultured and reintroduced, not only do the mice become healthier, but their lifespan also increases. While we often talk about 'average lifespan' and 'maximum lifespan,' now 'healthy lifespan,' or how long one lives healthily within their lifespan, has become more important."

The methods scientists have confirmed for living healthily are well-known: 'caloric restriction' and 'exercise.' In various animal experiments introduced by Professor Kim, mice that consumed about 35% fewer calories lived 50 to 300% longer than normal mice, and wild mice living in forests were also found to enjoy running on wheels. This is because the substance NAD+ increases in the body, suppressing cellular aging. Conversely, stimulating certain neural circuits in the mouse brain caused them to try to acquire more food even when full (possessiveness), and stimuli that impaired brain function led to stress (such as depression), worsening any disease.

Professor Kim emphasized, "Although these are animal experiments, Midas technology that uses nerves controlling possessiveness and depression can be applied not only to the IT industry but also to the medical and pharmaceutical industries, and further to the beauty and healthcare industries. The future industries leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution depend on technologies that regulate and control the brain."

This research could also present new opportunities in the medical field, particularly in dementia research. Professor Kim said, "By using AI to macroscopically analyze the behavior of mice with Alzheimer's and creating a dementia behavior map, it took less than five minutes to distinguish between normal mice and Alzheimer's mice. This could be applied to dementia diagnosis, which until now required brain imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)."

He added, "If dementia behavior biomarkers are discovered through AI-based analysis systems, they could also be applied to clinical trials verifying the effectiveness of new dementia drugs."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.