Noninvasive eye scan could detect key signs of Alzheimer's disease years before patients show symptoms
Using a high-definition eye scan developed especially for the study, researchers detected the crucial warning signs of Alzheimer's disease: amyloid-beta deposits, a buildup of toxic proteins. The findings represent a major advancement toward identifying people at high risk for the debilitating condition years sooner. The study, published in JCI Insight , comes amid a sharp rise in the number of people affected by the disease. Today, more than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. That number is expected to triple by 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association. "The findings suggest that the retina may serve as a reliable source for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis," said the study's senior lead author, Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, PhD, a principal investigator and associate professor in the departments of Neurosurgery and Biomedical Sciences at Cedars-Sinai. "One of the major advantages of analyzing the retina is the repeatability, which...