An Eye Test for Alzheimer's Disease?

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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According to a recent publication in Cell Death and Disease, there is a credible link and a real possibility that, in the future, we will examine the health of cells on the retina as a gauge to determine the presence and/or progression of brain disease.

A good summary of the research, conducted at University College London, was published by the BBC today. The approach, tried only in mice to date, is to use florescent dye that binds to dead cells as a means of visually assessing the overall health of cells on the retina. To the extent that the health of the retina is correlated with the health of the brain, this could have intriguing possibilities.

Trials in humans are planned for later in 2010.

2 comments :

  1. and if there is indication of disease process - then what? Reitrof

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  2. To Reitrof: If there is an indication of disease process, then a physician would be expected to pursue a diagnostic work-up in accordance with published guidelines so as to ascertain the specific underlying problem. Depending on the results of that work-up, appropriate disease treatment would be prescribed.

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