Define Alzheimer's disease can be in the eyes

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The eyes can show what is happening in the brain, say researchers from Duke University (Duke Eye Center) in North Carolina. Scientists have proposed a simple and cheap method of determining Alzheimer's disease - an incurable form of severe dementia.

Alzheimer's Disease - Alzheimer's Disease: Stop it Before it Starts.
Alzheimer's Disease - Alzheimer's Disease: Stop it Before it Starts.

Alzheimer's disease - this is one of the most mysterious disorders of the nervous system. It is manifested, in particular, problems with vision, thinking, memory impairment, loss of attention and orientation. As a result - there is brain decay.

Causes of Alzheimer's disease was not significantly explored. It is known that genes influence its development, gender and human environment. It is also known that the disease usually affects people over 65 years. Today, Alzheimer's disease was diagnosed in approximately 44 million people worldwide.

To detect Alzheimer's disease is difficult. More often than not carried out tests that assess the behavior of the patient and his cognitive ability. Occasionally used neuroimaging (a method to see how the brain works), as well as spinal puncture - puncture of the spinal cord, with which you can consider

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presence of amyloid plaques (plaque protein in the nerve cells) or tau proteins - signs of cognitive impairment.

The first image - the brain of a healthy person, the second - Alzheimer's disease
The first image - the brain of a healthy person, the second - Alzheimer's disease

Breakthrough in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can become a method of scientists from Duke University, described in the medical journal "Ophthalmology of the retina."

The researchers theorized that the eyes reflect the brain - their state can tell a lot about the functioning of the central nervous system. In particular, we are talking about the blood vessels of the retina - the damaged vessels may indicate the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

In an experiment conducted by 200 people participated in a control group of healthy individuals, patients with Alzheimer's disease and patients with minor cognitive impairment. In healthy people, the microscopic blood vessels form a dense network in the retina. In the case of suffering from Alzheimer's disease and cognitive disorders these vessels was an order of magnitude less - sometimes the network has been very rare. The density of blood vessels three test groups clearly different.

"We examined the blood vessels, which can not be seen during a routine inspection of the eye. This was done using a new non-invasive technology, which in a few minutes giving an accurate portrayal of the very small blood vessels in the retina. Perhaps such a change in the density of blood vessels in the retina reflect what is happening in the small blood vessels of the brain, "- said the chief author of the publication Sharon Fekrat.

This method is called optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). It is based on the use of light waves that show the flow of blood in each layer of the retina.

Optical coherence tomography angiography
Optical coherence tomography angiography
"Our goal - to use this technology for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease before they become obvious effects such as memory loss. Due to the method of OKTA, we can find new ways of treating Alzheimer's disease, "- said Fekrat.

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