Early Detection of Brain Changes in Alzheimer’s Disease through MRI and Basic Image Processing

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia, gradually stealing memory, thinking capacity, and independence from millions of people all over the world. Early detection provides physicians and families with more time for planning care and investigating treatment possibilities. This paper introduces an easy, low-cost method for detecting AD-related brain alterations with MRI imaging and MATLAB-based image processing. By calculating the ratio of the brain’s normal tissue to the expanding empty spaces (sulci) as the disease advances, the system can mark probable cases of AD. Our procedure was tried out on MRI images from research collections and local hospital sources. It effectively distinguished normal brains from brains with AD by drawing attention to structural shrinkage. We also explain how recent advancements—like multimodal imaging with artificial intelligence, advanced MRI biomarkers, and brain function scans—might improve this simple approach for earlier and more precise identification. This effort is intended to put trusted AD screening in the hands of more people, particularly where costly software and state-of-the-art machinery are not available.