Eye as a window to the brain: Review of retinal changes in Alzheimer’s dementia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v11i3.3212Keywords:
Alzheimer's disease; Imaging; Retina; Optical Coherence Tomography; Macular degenerationAbstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease causing significant morbidity and mortality in the elderly, affecting million worldwide. Diagnosis of AD is mainly by clinical symptoms, use of tests to detect loss of higher mental functions, and confirmed by neuroimaging studies such as magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography. Current research in AD aims at early detection of pathological changes in the brain and development of disease-modifying drugs. Testing the effectiveness of these drugs requires the development of a noninvasive and cost-effective screening tool. Retinal changes in patients with AD mirror those found in the brain and offers a window for early detection of AD before cognitive changes set it. This article reviews the pathological correlation between retinal changes and AD and the current advances in retinal imaging to detect AD.
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