The latest Alzheimer’s research presents an exciting prospect—the possibility that Alzheimer’s could be detected a decade earlier than it is now. The process of Alzheimer’s disease begins in the brain 10 to 15 years before symptoms manifest. This means that by the time memory problems actually begin, the disease has already affected or destroyed anywhere from 40 to 50 percent of an individual’s brain cells. Unfortunately, current technology has not been able to detect Alzheimer’s prior to the appearance of symptoms.
An early hallmark of Alzheimer’s is the buildup of beta amyloid proteins in the brain. While doctors have not been able to conclusively confirm the presence of these proteins, research from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles presents a promising solution to this problem. Researchers discovered the amount of beta amyloid proteins in the brain corresponds closely to the amount of this protein in the retina.
This means that we might one day be able to detect Alzheimer’s closer to its onset with a special eye exam. The research team has already developed a noninvasive test to check the retina for beta amyloid proteins. Currently, they’re conducting a clinical trial to see if the test can identify patients who are starting to develop Alzheimer’s but haven’t shown symptoms yet.
Maria Carrillo, vice president of Medical and Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer’s Association, said the work is promising. Considering that people tend to go to the ophthalmologist more frequently as they age, an eye test would be a practical way to detect Alzheimer’s. “If you could add a quick test to see if neurogenic pathology is going on in the brain, it would be really helpful,” she said.