Aging cell: Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed according to the retina

November 18, 2020 // -- A study led by the Cedars-Sinai Department of Neurosurgery found that certain areas of the retina are more affected by Alzheimer's disease than others.
findings could help doctors predict changes in the brain and cognitive decline.
"This clue may have emerged early in the development of Alzheimer's disease, even decades before the onset of symptoms," said Dr. Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, associate professor of neurosurgery and biomedical sciences and co-author of the study.
" detection of these signs can help diagnose diseases more accurately, allowing for earlier, more effective treatment interventions.
" (Photo: www.pixabay.com) Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, a group of brain disorders characterized by a general loss of mental capacity, including memory, judgment, language and abstract thinking.
the results of the new study, published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring, came from a clinical trial involving people over the age of 40 who showed signs of cognitive decline.
, the researchers used a noninvasional technique called fan-shaped retinal amyloid imaging to capture retinal images of participants.
then analyzes the images using a new process that identifies certain peripheral areas of the retina that better correspond to brain damage and cognitive state.
study images, scientists were able to detect an increase in retinal amyloid protein build-up in patients, suggesting a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease or cognitive impairment.
the findings are based on a groundbreaking 2010 study in which Koronyo-Hamaoui and her team identified pathological markers of Alzheimer's disease in the retinal tissue of the deceased, β amyloid deposition.
, the team developed a way to detect retinal amyloid protein plaques in surviving patients with the disease.
study, published in the journal Aging Cell, Koronyo-Hamaoui and other researchers further confirmed the role of the retina in showing signs of Alzheimer's disease.
identified and identified potential treatments to combat the disease.
found that elevated levels of retinal amyloid and peptides β also associated with levels in brain tissue," said Koronyo-Hamaoui, a professor of retinal amyloid.
In addition, we have proposed a special immunomodulation therapy that can fight disease by reducing toxic proteins and harmful inflammation in the brain, and correspondingly enhance the protective immune response to maintain the connection between closely connected neurons.
" () Source: New potential in diagnosing, treating Alzheimer's found in retinas Original source: Oana M. Dumitrascu et al. Sectoral segmentation of retinal amyloid imaging in subjects with cognitive decline, Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring (2020). DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12109