Researchers have found that subtle changes in the blood vessels of the eye may serve as a window through which we can predict the likelihood of dementia years before traditional symptoms manifest.
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These groundbreaking results, published in the journal Alzheimer’s Disease, could drastically change early detection methods for this devastating disease.
This discovery is led by a research team from the University of Otago, which analyzed data from thousands of eye exams as part of a long-term New Zealand study. The researchers identified three specific changes in the eye that are closely linked to an increased risk of dementia: narrowing of the small arteries (arterioles), widening of the small veins (venules), and thinning of the nerve fiber layer in the retina.
These subtle changes could appear even before any other signs of cognitive decline.
Dr. Ashley Barrett-Young, the lead researcher in the study, explains: "The retina is a direct extension of the central nervous system, and what we see in it actually reflects what is happening in the brain." She adds, "The tiny blood vessels in the eye give us a precise image of the health of the blood vessels in the brain, making them a unique biological marker."
This discovery comes at a time when our understanding of dementia is undergoing a revolution. Previous studies have shown that vision sensitivity tests can predict dementia up to 12 years before diagnosis. What’s new here is the potential for early detection through a simple, non-invasive eye exam, which could become routine in eye doctors' clinics.
Despite these promising results, researchers caution that we are still in the early stages of this scientific path. Barrett-Young says, "We can't currently predict an individual’s risk just by looking at an eye scan, but we are working on developing artificial intelligence algorithms that may make this possible in the near future." (New York Post)
