A Neural Modelling Tool for Non-Linear Influence Analyses and Perspectives of Applications in Medical Research

Abstract

Neural network models are often used to analyse non-linear systems; here, in cases of small datasets, we review our complementary approach to deep learning with the purpose of highlighting the importance and roles (linear, non-linear or threshold) of certain variables (assumed as causal) in determining the behaviour of a target variable; this also allows us to make predictions for future scenarios of these causal variables. We present a neural tool endowed with an ensemble strategy and its applications to influence analyses in terms of pruning, attribution and future predictions (free code issued). We describe some case studies on climatic applications which show reliable results and the potentialities of our method for medical studies. The discovery of the importance and role (linear, non-linear or threshold) of causal variables and the possibility of applying the relationships found to future scenarios could lead to very interesting applications in medical research and the study and treatment of cancer, which are proposed in this paper.