By examining tiny vessels (血管) inside a person’s eyes, doctors might one day be able to predict that person’s risk of early death, according to a new study.
Past research had shown the retina (视网膜), light-sensitive layers of nerve tissue at the back of the eye, as a possible indicator of a person’s bjological age. The retina offers a unique, accessible “window” to evaluate underlying pathological (病理的) processes of some serious diseases that are associated with increased risks of death. In the new study, the researchers turned to a deep-learning technique that could predict a person’s risk of death by analyzing the biological age of the retina.
Their deep-learning model, a type of machine learning and artificial intelligence that’s modeled to learn similar to a human brain, analyzed more than 80.000 images of fundus (眼底) - the internal back surface of the eye that includes the retina. They obtained the images from nearly 47.000 people between the ages of 40 and 69, stored in the UK. Biobank. TO figure out whether their model was accurate, they first analyzed more than 19,000 fundus images taken from more than 1,100 participants who were in relatively good health. The idea was that the retinal biological ages of these people should be fairly similar to their chronological age (实际年龄) .
The model was fairly accurate in predicting retinal ages, with an accuracy of within 3.5 years to chronological ages. They then used the model to assess the remaining nearly 36,000 participants’ fundus photos collected across a span of 11 years. They found that 51 percent of the participants had a “retinal age gap” - the difference between biological and chronological age - of more than 3 years, 28 percent had a gap of more than 5 years and 4.5 percent had a gap of more than 10 years. In other words, these participants had “older” eyes compared to their chronological age.
Those who had larger age gaps had a 49-67 percent higher risk of death from causes other than cardiovascular disease or cancer. With every one year increase in the age gap, the risk of death increased by 2 percent for any cause and 3 percent for causes other than cardiovascular disease and cancer.
12. What can we know about the retina?
A.It causes serious diseases. |
B.It indicates the risk of death. |
C.It speeds pathological processes. |
D.It improves people’s physical health. |
13. How do researchers know the retinal age?
A.By examining the nerve tissue. |
B.By studying the human brain, |
C.By checking the eyesight. |
D.By analyzing fundus images. |
14. What percentage of the participants had the largest retinal age gap?
A.3.5%. | B.4.5%. | C.28%. | D.51% |
15. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A.A new study is conducted on tiny vessels |
B.Image technology is used to predict diseases |
C.Eyes may reveal a person’s biological age |
D.A deep-leaning on the retina is necessary |