A simple eye test
carried out by your optician could pick up Alzheimer's Disease years before it
develops and lead to early treatment to stop it in its tracks, claim
scientists.
British researchers
have developed a technique that highlights nerve cell damage in the retina of
the eye which they have proved correlates exactly to nerve cell damage in the
brain.
They say the quick,
noninvasive and cheap test, which only involves applying eye-drops and then
taking a photo with an infra-red camera, could revolutionise detection of
dementia. Once diagnosed, treatment could begin immediately.
"It is entirely
possible that in the future a visit to an eye doctor to check on your eyesight
will also be a check on the state of your brain."
The technique, which
is just starting human trials and could be available within two years, involves
highlighting nerve cell damage in the eye using a chemical marker that glows
when it finds it. This can either be administered as an injection in the arm or
eye-drops.
Once the substance is
in the body it seeks out nerve cells that are dying and chemically marks them.
All opticians and doctors need then do is use an infrared camera to take a
picture of the eye and count how many dots appear in the photo.
Researchers, who
published their findings in the journal Cell Death & Disease, have
calculated that anything more than 20 could indicate the early onset of
Alzheimer's.
Professor Cordeiro,
who worked with Professor Stephen Moss, said: "The death of nerve cells is
the key event in all neuro-degenerative disorders – but until now it has not
been possible to study cell death in a living eye.
"Early diagnosis
of Alzheimer's is critical in order to stop and reverse the cell death before
it is too late. Once brains cells are dead there is no way to revive them.
"If you catch
Alzheimer's Disease early enough you can slow it down and even reinvigorate the
cells."
Alzheimer's charities
welcomed the research and said it could change the way the disease is studied,
diagnosed and monitored.
Dr Susanne Sorensen,
head of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: ""We know as
Alzheimer's disease develops, cells in the brain die and the brain shrinks.
"The study of
this disease has been hampered by the difficulty of following the progress
directly in the human brain. This research is very exciting as it opens up the
possibility of observing individual cells on the human retina using a
relatively non-invasive procedure.
"In the longer
term this technique could be used for diagnostic purposes or to help
researchers monitor the effects of drugs under development. However, much more
research needs to be done before we know if we can get to this stage."
Rebecca Wood, chief
executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "Although this study
uses animals, it is hoped that the technique can be modified for human use.
These findings have the potential to transform the way we diagnose Alzheimer's,
greatly enhancing efforts to develop new treatments and cures.
"If we spot
Alzheimer's in its earliest stages, we may be able to treat and reverse the
progression of the disease as new treatments are developed. Dementia scientists
currently lack a way of assessing the brain's responses to new treatments in
real-time. This technique may help overcome that obstacle."
Alzheimer's is the
most common form of dementia, which affects around 700,000 people in the UK.
One million Britons
are expected to develop dementia in the next 10 years.