Why your eyes could be the key to an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's



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Your eyes are not only the windows of your soul; they can also help doctors see specific changes in your head related to this devastating disease

old eyeKuttelvaserova Stuchelova / Shutterstock

Can a visit to the eye specialist also provide a way to diagnose Alzheimer's disease? New research suggests that small blood vessels at the back of the eye can reveal the progression of the disease in your brain – and a current eye scan can detect these changes before many injuries occur. have been caused. Make sure you know these 10 early signs of Alzheimer's disease.

Two new studies published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology suggest that a type of imaging called optical coherence tomography could help healthcare professionals detect the signs of Alzheimer's disease in the small veins of the posterior part of the body. the eye. Although neurologists can use brain scans to detect Alzheimer's lesions, Ygal Rotenstreich, MD, an ophthalmologist at the Goldschleger Eye Institute of Sheba Medical Center in Israel, and a principal investigator of a study, said in a statement. communicated the disease is well beyond a treatable phase. The goal of the research was to find an accurate and inexpensive test to detect Alzheimer's disease before too much damage occurs. Discover 6 recent advances in Alzheimer's research.

In the first study, researchers from Duke University used OCTA to study the retina of Alzheimer's patients and then compared them with those of people with mild cognitive impairment, as well as healthy people. The theory is that the blood vessels at the back of the eye can reflect the changes that occur in the brain. The researchers found that members of the Alzheimer's group were losing small retinal blood vessels at the back of the eye. they also found that a specific layer of the retina was thinner.

In Dr. Rotenstreich's study, researchers conducted OCTA and brain tests of more than 400 people with a family history of Alzheimer's but who had not yet developed symptoms. They compared the images with those of people without a family history of the disease. As in the first study, Dr. Rotenstreich also found that the inner layer of the retina was thinner in people with a history of Alzheimer's. The study also found that the hippocampus, a region of the brain first affected by the disease, had already begun to contract. Learn more about the stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers are always looking for effective ways to manage Alzheimer's disease, but existing tools work best when the disease is at an early stage. "We need a therapeutic intervention sooner," said Dr. Rotenstreich. "These patients are at such a high risk." Stop believing these 15 myths about Alzheimer's disease.

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