AI can track brain aging, risk of cognitive decline; lab owner convicted in $4M Medicare fraud; immune cells may explain higher Parkinson’s risk in men – Morning Medical Update

Author(s):

Austin Littrell

Key Takeaways

An AI tool developed by USC researchers measures brain aging using MRI scans, linking it to cognitive decline and dementia risk.
The AI model, trained on over 3,000 MRI scans, accurately predicts cognitive decline in both healthy individuals and Alzheimer's patients.
Sherif Khalil was convicted of a $4 million Medicare fraud scheme involving unnecessary urine drug tests, facing up to 20 years in prison.
An autoimmune response targeting the PINK1 protein may explain the higher prevalence of Parkinson's disease in men, contributing to brain cell death.

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AI model tracks brain aging and risk of cognitive decline

University of Southern California (USC) researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool that measures how fast the brain ages using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The model, the first of its kind, can track neuroanatomical changes over time, linking faster brain aging to a higher risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Trained on more than 3,000 MRI scans, the model accurately predicted cognitive decline in both healthy individuals and Alzheimer’s patients. Researchers hope it could eventually help identify at-risk individuals earlier and improve personalized treatment approaches for neurodegenerative conditions.

Lab owner convicted in $4M Medicare fraud scheme

A federal jury convicted Sherif Khalil, 50, of California, for orchestrating a $4 million Medicare fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary urine drug tests. As the owner of Spectra Clinical Labs, Khalil paid illegal kickbacks to marketers who secured fraudulent test orders from doctors’ offices. Medicare reimbursed Spectra for high-cost tests that were not medically necessary.

Khalil was found guilty of health care fraud and kickback conspiracy. He faces up to 20 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for August 7, 2025.

Immune cells may explain higher Parkinson’s risk in men

Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology have identified an autoimmune response that could explain why Parkinson’s disease is twice as common in men. The study, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, found that male Parkinson’s patients had a 6-fold increase in immune cells targeting the PINK1 protein, compared to a 0.7-fold increase in women. These misguided immune attacks may contribute to brain cell death and disease progression.