Doctors get a powerful new AI tool to help them diagnose ADHD faster
Artificial Intelligence is helping doctors diagnose more and more syndromes that were previously hard to diagnose.
Key takeaways
- According to a new paper published in the journal Radiology: Artificial Intelligence, their technique could also be used to spot other neurological conditions.
- More than eight percent of children in the US have been diagnosed with the condition according to The American Psychiatric Association (APA).
- MRI scans are able to spot any disruption in this network — but recogniSing the patterns that could indicate a case of ADHD is much more difficult.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2020) 'Doctors get a powerful new AI tool to help them diagnose ADHD faster', 311 Institute, 15 March. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/doctors-get-a-powerful-new-ai-tool-to-help-them-diagnose-adhd-faster/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a powerful new tool in the fight to properly identify, diagnose, and then treat a wide range of health problems, from the onset of dementia, depression, and PTSD, through to the diagnosis of many diseases, including eye disease, genetic diseases, heart disease, lung cancer, and even pancreatic and skin cancer with just a smartphone. And now, in yet another breakthrough a team of researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in the US have used AI to predict Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in patients by having it analyse Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. According to a new paper published in the journal Radiology: Artificial Intelligence, their technique could also be used to spot other neurological conditions.
Health care professionals have increasingly been relying on MRI scans to understand ADHD, a brain disorder that often causes patients to be restless, and makes it more difficult for them to pay attention. More than eight percent of children in the US have been diagnosed with the condition according to The American Psychiatric Association (APA).
Research suggests that a breakdown in the connections between the different regions of the brain, the so-called connectome, causes ADHD. MRI scans are able to spot any disruption in this network — but recogniSing the patterns that could indicate a case of ADHD is much more difficult.
The researchers developed a method using a deep learning model that can analyse multiple connectome maps from different regions of the brain. Their model “improved ADHD detection performance considerably” while analysing a data set of 973 participants according to the paper.
“This model can be generalised to other neurological deficiencies,” said senior author Lili He in a statement. “We already use it to predict cognitive deficiency in pre-term infants. We scan them soon after birth to predict neuro-developmental outcomes at two years of age.”
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Artificial Intelligence is helping doctors diagnose more and more syndromes that were previously hard to diagnose.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
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Sources and further reading
- a new paper pubs.rsna.org
- What is adhd psychiatry.org
- Rson aib120919 eurekalert.org
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 15 March 2020. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2020). Doctors get a powerful new AI tool to help them diagnose ADHD faster. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/doctors-get-a-powerful-new-ai-tool-to-help-them-diagnose-adhd-faster/
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