Eye test for brain disease
Friday January 15th, 2010
British scientists have developed a simple eye test that could provide fast diagnosis of brain diseases such as Alzheimer's, it was announced yesterday.
It could
eventually lead to opticians being able to detect signs of brain disease,
according to its developers.
The test can detect cells in the eye as they die, according to researchers from University College London.
The technique has been used in laboratories for some time but two London professors say they have now successfully used it on humans.
According to the professors, studying the cells in the retina of the eye will indicate if there is decay of brain cells taking place.
Researcher Professor Francesca Cordeiro said the equipment used to scan the eyes was already used in hospitals and was "inexpensive and non-invasive".
She said: "Few people realise that the retina is a direct, albeit thin, extension of the brain. It is entirely possible that in the future a visit to a high-street optician to check on your eyesight will also be a check on the state of your brain."
For the test, reported in the journal Cell Death, the patient is treated with fluorescent markers that attach themselves to cells. The eye is studied with a customised laser ophthalmoscope.
Professor Cordeiro said: "This technique means we should be able to directly observe retinal nerve cell death in patients, which has a number of advantages in terms of effective diagnosis.
"This could be critically important since identification of the early stages could lead to successful reversal of the disease progression with treatment.
"Currently, the biggest obstacle to research into new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases is the lack of a technique where the brain's response to new treatments can be directly assessed - this technique could potentially help overcome that."
Imaging multiple phases of neurodegeneration: a novel approach to assessing cell death in vivo Cell Death January 14 2010
Tags: Brain & Neurology | Eye Health | Geriatric Health| UK News
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