Study: Alzheimer's Plaque Detectable Through the Eye

A non-invasive eye examination may one day be able to diagnose and track Alzheimer's disease, according to a study reported in the April 12 issue of the Lancet.

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston have discovered that the amyloid-beta protein that forms plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease is detectable though the lens of the human eye.

This finding, according to the researchers, might spur the creation of a test to diagnose the disease in its earliest stages when new treatments are likely to be most effective. The researchers are planning further studies to confirm their discoveries.

"If the association of these deposits with Alzheimer's holds up in future studies, it would be very simple to develop a non-invasive test of disease progression," said co-researcher Dr. Leo Chylack, of Brigham and Women's Center for Ophthalmic Research.

Chylack said the amyloid-beta deposits do not block people's vision and can only be seen when the pupil is dilated widely.

While many potential treatments for Alzheimer's are under development, co-researcher Lee Goldstein, of the Massachusetts General Hospital genetics and aging research unit, said testing and effectively using such therapies would require a way to accurately diagnose and monitor the disease, something that does not currently exist.

"If patients at risk of developing the disease could be identified early and accurately, ideally before cognitive symptoms emerge, therapeutic interventions can be instituted before the onset of irreparable damage to the brain," Goldstein said.

Other sources: Massachusetts General Hospital