Working with a mouse model of Alzheimer’s, scientists have actually developed an imaging technique for discovering modifications in the texture of the retina that are associated with the disease. Early diagnosis of the condition could help efforts to slow its progression.
More than 5 million people aged 65 or older in the United States are coping with Alzheimer’s, according to the Alzheimer’s Association Offered the aging population, that number is expected to reach 13.8 million by 2050.
Early intervention with medications and psychological workouts can, possibly, slow the advancement of the disease, however it can be challenging for medical professionals to make a conclusive diagnosis.
There are no clear biological indications, or “biomarkers,” of Alzheimer’s. Instead, medical professionals rely on indications of cognitive decline and, sometimes, brain scans.
Now, biomedical engineers at Duke University, in Durham, NC, have struck upon a method that combines 2 existing technologies to discover indications of the illness in the retina at the back of the eye.
Up until now, they have just evaluated this strategy in a mouse design of Alzheimer’s. If it can be shown to work in humans, it could lead to the development of a fairly inexpensive, compact, and easy to use screening gadget.
The research study appears in the journal Scientific Reports
According to the scientists, the retina is efficiently an extension of the central nervous system and was as soon as thought about a window into the brain.
Previous studies have actually exposed that thinning of the retina is an early sign of Alzheimer’s. However, routine aging and other illness