Brain scan score may flag Alzheimer’s risk years before memory loss

Researchers at Stanford Medicine in the United States have built a score from brain scans that may show, years in advance, whether a healthy older adult is heading towards Alzheimer’s disease or is ageing well. The study was published in the journal Science Advances on 4 November 2026.

What the researchers did

The team used resting-state functional MRI. This scan shows how different parts of the brain work together while a person is at rest. They compared the scans of 180 “super agers” and 110 people with Alzheimer’s disease, all aged 75 or older. Super agers were people whose memory was typical of a 45-year-old.

From these patterns they built the ARC score (Alzheimer’s resilience-vulnerability connectome). It told super agers and Alzheimer’s patients apart with about 85% accuracy. The team then tested it on more than 1,300 adults aged 55 to 70 who had no memory problems. The data came from three research studies: the Open Access Series of Imaging Studies, the Harvard Aging Brain Study and the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Follow-up lasted up to 12 years, though most data covered about five to six years.

Key findings

• Higher scores predicted faster cognitive decline, more amyloid plaque in the brain and a later Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
• Lower scores, closer to the super-ager pattern, predicted slower decline.
• The researchers say the score predicted decline better than demographics, amyloid and tau biomarkers, and genetics.
• It worked better still when combined with existing biomarkers.

“What we really care about is defining early markers that can detect earlier signs of cognitive decline,” said senior author Yu Zhang, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford. The lead author is postdoctoral scholar Kanhao (Alex) Zhao.

The limits

The ARC score is not a diagnostic test. Dr Zhang called it “only a snapshot, not destiny”. Scores can change with age, brain injury or other conditions. The team plans a trial to measure the score before and after cognitive training. It is not yet known whether changing brain patterns would change the course of the disease.

What this means for older Indians and families

An estimated 8.8 million Indians aged 60 and above live with dementia, according to Business Standard. India’s 60-plus population is projected to grow from 100 million in 2011 to 230 million by 2036. Early warning signs could help families plan care sooner.

For now, the ARC score is a research tool. It is not offered as a routine test in hospitals. Families who notice memory changes in an older relative should speak to a doctor.

Sources: Stanford Medicine news release via EurekAlert, 4 November 2026; Stanford Medicine; Science Advances, DOI 10.1126/sciadv.aed9351; Business Standard, 1 November 2026.

This article is for information only and is not medical advice.