Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) says its Chair Professor Huh Won-do's research team confirms in preclinical animal experiments the possibility of early diagnosis and symptom relief for Parkinson's disease by combining artificial intelligence (AI) and light-based brain neuromodulation technology on the 22nd. /Courtesy of Ewha Mokdong Hospital

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said on the 22nd that a research team led by Chair Professor Heo Won-do confirmed in preclinical animal experiments the potential to diagnose Parkinson's disease early and alleviate symptoms by combining brain nerve modulation technology using artificial intelligence (AI) and light.

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative brain disorder in which dopamine nerve cells that control involuntary muscle movement decrease, causing tremors in the hands and feet and a heavy gait. Until now, early symptoms were subtle at the onset, making early diagnosis difficult with existing tests, and the effectiveness of drug treatment was limited.

Heo's team conducted preclinical trials on mice with Parkinson's disease together with Kim Dae-soo, a professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at KAIST, and the team of Director General Lee Chang-joon at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS).

First, they filmed the posture of mice with Parkinson's disease in 3D using multiple cameras, and analyzed more than 340 behavioral signals—such as gait, movements and tremors of the limbs—using AI. As a result, starting in the second week after onset, they could distinguish Parkinson's disease more accurately than with conventional tests, and asymmetry of the limbs, changes in stride length and posture, and chest tremors were identified as key signals for early diagnosis.

When the same method was applied to mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), these changes did not appear, confirming that these signals are characteristic symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

The team applied an "optoRET" technology that stimulates with light the brain region where dopamine nerve cells are clustered. As a result, the mice's gait became smoother and tremors decreased, and a tendency to protect dopamine nerve cells was also observed. The findings were published last month in the international journal Nature Communications.

Heo Won-do said, "This study is the world's first preclinical achievement showing the potential for early diagnosis through AI-based behavioral analysis and that stimulating nerve cells with light can alleviate symptoms," adding, "It will serve as an important foundation that will lead to patient-tailored therapeutics and the development of precision medicine."

(From top left) Hyun Bo-bae, KAIST postdoctoral researcher; Kim Dae-su, Professor; Lee Chang-jun, Director General, IBS; Huh Won-do, KAIST Professor (right). /Courtesy of KAIST

References

Nature Communications (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63025-w

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