Scientists have identified a way that can be used to detect early signs of Alzheimer’s disease by looking at the back of patients’ eyes.
A new study from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in the US offers important insight into how Alzheimer’s disease begins within the brain.
The researchers found a relationship between inflammation, a toxic protein and the onset of the disease.
“Early detection of Alzheimer’s warning signs would allow for early intervention and prevention of neurodegeneration before major brain cell loss and cognitive decline occurs,” said Ashley Nilson, a neuroscience graduate student at UTMB.
“Using the retina for detecting AD and other neurodegenerative diseases would be non-invasive, inexpensive and could become a part of a normal screening done at patient checkups,” said Nilson.
Researchers have previously found evidence that a toxic form of tau protein may underlie the early stages of Alzheimer’s.
Brain cells depend on tau protein to form highways for the cell to receive nutrients and get rid of waste.
In some neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, the tau protein changes into a toxic form called tau oligomers and begins clumping into neurofibrillary tangles.