Revolutionary AI-Powered Tech Unveils New Chronic Nerve Pain Treatments
Chronic nerve pain affects millions of adults worldwide, causing debilitating symptoms and a poor quality of life. Current treatments provide only partial relief, leaving patients with limited options. However, a groundbreaking project at the University of Sheffield is set to change that narrative. Using innovative AI technology, researchers have identified new biomarkers that could lead to more effective treatments for chronic nerve pain. This development has been made possible through a substantial funding boost from UK Research and Innovation.
Led by Dr Dinesh Selvarajah, Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health, the project aims to accelerate the discovery of new treatments for chronic nerve pain through AI-powered neuroimaging technology. Chronic pain arises from injury to the nervous system and affects one in 10 adults over the age of 30 in the UK alone. It often causes patients to experience constant burning, aching, or electric-shock type pains in their feet, legs, and hands, severely limiting their ability to perform daily activities and leading to a diminished quality of life.
The funding of £463,000 from UK Research and Innovation’s Technology Missions Fund will support Dr Selvarajah and his team in conducting an external validation of their AI-based approach. The aim is to demonstrate the real-world impact of artificial intelligence in the field of healthcare and pave the way for more effective, widespread treatments for chronic nerve pain.
Dr Selvarajah explained the urgency of finding better solutions for chronic pain, stating, Chronic pain is a major unmet global health challenge. Unfortunately, current medications provide only partial benefit in around half of all patients, with many enduring inadequate pain relief and unwanted side effects. Over the past 25 years, there has been a lack of new drugs that are more effective than the ones currently in use for treating chronic nerve pain.
One of the biggest challenges in treating chronic pain is the wide variability in patient response to different treatments. To address this issue, the project will focus on developing new biomarkers for neuropathic pain (NeuP) in collaboration with industry partner AstraZeneca. By analyzing one of the largest datasets in the UK, consisting of patients with NeuP from multiple causes, the AI-powered magnetic resonance neuroimaging model aims to predict patient treatment responses and identify clinical pain traits. This data will be used to establish an online platform for future collaboration with drug development programs and potentially be incorporated into clinical trials of NeuP medication.
The funding awarded to the University of Sheffield is part of a larger effort to drive cutting-edge AI innovation in healthcare. With a total of £13 million dedicated to advancing AI research in the field, the initiative spans various areas, from the development of semi-autonomous surgical robotics platforms to predicting future health problems based on existing conditions. This investment underlines the importance of AI in revolutionizing healthcare and improving patient outcomes.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, emphasized the positive impact of AI in the NHS and healthcare as a whole, stating, AI can help the NHS improve outcomes for patients, with breakthroughs leading to earlier diagnosis, more effective treatments, and faster recovery. It’s already being used in the NHS in a number of areas, from improving diagnosis and treatment for stroke patients to identifying those most at risk of a heart attack.
The groundbreaking AI technology developed at the University of Sheffield has the potential to transform the treatment landscape for chronic nerve pain. By identifying new biomarkers and predicting patient treatment responses, this innovative approach could bring much-needed relief to those suffering from this debilitating condition. With continued advancements in AI-powered healthcare innovation, the future looks promising for the millions worldwide affected by chronic nerve pain.
