Sidra Medicine researchers have introduced a new genomic approach that could change how doctors assess the risk of cognitive decline, years before symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias appear. The study, published in Genome Medicine, does not offer a diagnostic test, but it does lay out a framework that could improve risk assessment and early intervention for neurodegenerative diseases.
The Sidra Medicine study is among the first to combine large-scale genetic risk scores with hippocampal brain imaging to improve early prediction of cognitive decline.
The team trained their models on data from nearly 24,000 UK Biobank participants and tested them in about 3,000 people from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and the European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease cohort. By combining polygenic risk scores with brain imaging—focusing on changes in the hippocampus, a region important for memory—the researchers improved their ability to spot patterns linked to cognitive problems and to predict future decline.
“Alzheimer’s disease can affect the brain years before symptoms become noticeable. Identifying people at higher risk during these early stages could create important opportunities for earlier monitoring and prevention. Our research improves how we use genetic information to predict cognitive decline and brings us closer to more personalized approaches to brain health,” said Dr. Janahi.
Polygenic risk scores are increasingly being explored as tools to identify individuals at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease, with recent research highlighting their potential to enhance early detection when combined with neuroimaging and other biomarkers.
The study brought together experts in genomics, neuroscience, neuroimaging, and computational biology, reflecting Sidra Medicine’s growing focus on precision medicine and computational genomics. The research advances risk prediction science and signals a shift in approach: from responding to disease after symptoms appear, to identifying risk much earlier. As Prof. Mokrab said, “Combining genomics with imaging and other health information could help us move toward more proactive and precise care.”
By capturing more of the genetic factors behind cognitive decline and linking them with imaging data, Sidra Medicine’s team has set a new standard for early prediction. The findings could eventually apply beyond Alzheimer’s, pointing to a future where complex diseases are identified before symptoms start, and precision medicine becomes a practical part of brain health care.
