Experts urge enhanced AI integration and research to combat Alzheimer's

Officials and experts have stressed the need to strengthen basic research and embrace artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to tackle Alzheimer's disease.

Since Alzheimer's was first identified 120 years ago, scientists have worked to uncover its causes and find ways to prevent it or slow its progression.

It is now one of the most severe public health challenges globally, including in China, where an aging population compounds the disease burden, said Zhang Xuemin, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and deputy director of the National Natural Science Foundation.

The foundation will continue to support potentially groundbreaking and highly innovative research while encouraging the integration of AI into clinical and population health research, he said during the "Alzheimer's Disease 120 Years" International Symposium held by Changping Laboratory in Beijing over the weekend.

Zheng Jian, an official from the Ministry of Science and Technology, said it is essential to deepen research into the pathological mechanisms of Alzheimer's and to utilize novel technologies such as artificial intelligence.

He also stressed the importance of transforming basic research results into new diagnostic, preventive, and treatment methods that can benefit the public.

Worldwide, 50 million people are living with Alzheimer's. In China, the disease affects nearly 17 million people, and that number is expected to exceed 40 million by 2050.

Liu Hesheng, leading scientist at Changping Laboratory, said Alzheimer's research is shifting from a focus on individual pathological proteins toward understanding how genetic background, different cell types, immunity, metabolism and brain networks interact to shape disease onset, progression, and individual differences.

Xie Xiaoliang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of Changping Laboratory, said combating Alzheimer's is a shared mission of the global scientific community and a core responsibility of Changping Laboratory.

He emphasized the importance of strengthening international cooperation to combat the disease.