According to a new study, eyes may exhibit the first symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that affects thinking and memory abilities, as well as the capacity to do basic tasks.
The early symptoms include memory lapses, such as putting aside recent discussions, forgetting places and things, having difficulty remembering, having poor judgement, and struggling to make decisions; mood shifts, such as escalating agitation or worry; and having difficulty concentrating.
However, new research has found that the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease may emerge in the eyes before other major symptoms appear. Dr. Christine Greer, head of medical education at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders, says that the eye is the gateway to the brain and can see directly into the nervous system.
A study published in Acta Neuropathologica found that pathologies associated with Alzheimer's disease were found in the accessible neurosensory retina, but their precise nature and topographical distribution were unclear. This suggests that disease progression in the brain is linked to early stages of functional impairment.
Researchers also undertook a thorough histological and biochemical analysis of postmortem retina and brain tissues from 86 human donors in order to better understand the pathological characteristics of the disease in the retina.
Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, a professor of neurosurgery and biomedical sciences, explains that the research offers a thorough examination of the protein profiles, as well as the molecular, cellular, and structural impacts of the disease on the human retina, brain, and cognitive function. Additionally, the entorhinal and temporal cortices, which are crucial for memory, navigation, and time perception, have exhibited changes in line with those observed in the retina.
Dr. Richard Isaacson, a preventive neurologist, claims that Alzheimer's disease starts in the brain decades before memory loss symptoms appear. He believes that people can control modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes if they are able to detect Alzheimer's in its earliest stages and help them adopt healthy lifestyle choices.
