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A recent breakthrough in medical technology found that subtle temperature variations across facial regions could signal underlying health conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Researchers have developed an AI-powered tool capable of detecting these indicators, which are imperceptible to touch but discernible through specialized spatial temperature patterns derived from thermal imaging.

Published in the journal Cell Metabolism on July 2, the study suggests that this non-invasive approach could pave the way for early disease detection with further refinement.

"Aging is a natural process," Jing-Dong Jackie Han, corresponding author of the study from Peking University in Beijing, remarked. "But our tool has the potential to promote healthy aging and help people live disease-free."

Previously, the team used 3D facial structure to predict biological age, a metric closely tied to disease risks such as cancer and diabetes. Intrigued by whether facial temperature could also serve as a predictor of health and aging, Han and her colleagues analyzed facial temperatures of over 2,800 Chinese participants aged 21 to 88. This data enabled them to train AI models to estimate a person's "thermal age," highlighting significant temperature variations in areas like the nose, eyes, and cheeks linked to age and health.

The study revealed that nose temperature decreases with age faster than other facial areas, indicating a younger "thermal age" for those with warmer noses. Conversely, temperatures around the eyes tend to rise with age. Furthermore, individuals with metabolic disorders like diabetes and fatty liver disease exhibited accelerated thermal aging, characterized by higher eye area temperatures compared to their healthy peers. Elevated blood pressure was also associated with higher cheek temperatures.

Analysis of blood samples indicated that increased temperatures around the eyes and cheeks stemmed from heightened cellular activities linked to inflammation, including DNA repair and immune responses.

"The thermal clock is so strongly associated with metabolic diseases that previous facial imaging models were not able to predict these conditions," Han explained, according to Medical Xpress.

In a surprising finding, the team investigated whether physical activity could influence "thermal age" by instructing 23 participants to jump rope at least 800 times daily for two weeks. Remarkably, participants reduced their thermal age by five years, highlighting the potential of exercise as a mitigating factor.

Looking ahead, researchers aim to explore the use of thermal facial imaging for predicting conditions such as sleep disorders and cardiovascular diseases.

"We hope to apply thermal facial imaging in clinical settings, as it holds significant potential for early disease diagnosis and intervention," Han concluded, underscoring its promising role in revolutionizing healthcare diagnostics.