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New Study Links Eye Health with Dementia Risk
A recent study conducted by the University of Otago — Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka has unveiled an intriguing connection between eye health and the risk of developing dementia. Researchers involved in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study discovered that certain characteristics of the blood vessels located at the back of the eye, known as retinal microvasculature, can serve as early indicators of potential dementia risk.
Dr. Ashleigh Barrett-Young, a co-lead author from the Department of Psychology, remarked that the findings add to previous research efforts by the team, contributing to a larger understanding of how to identify early signs of dementia. She emphasized that while these findings are promising, they remain in the exploratory stages and cannot yet be utilized in clinical practice.
Early intervention is believed to be critical for improving the effectiveness of Alzheimer’s treatments and other dementia-related therapies. However, determining who could benefit from such interventions presents a significant challenge with the current testing methodologies. Dr. Barrett-Young expressed hope for advancements in this area.
At present, traditional cognitive assessments often lack sensitivity in the initial phases of dementia, as individuals may not exhibit noticeable cognitive decline. Meanwhile, alternative diagnostic imaging techniques, such as MRI and PET scans, can be prohibitively expensive and not accessible to all patients.
“Our focus was on the retina, which has direct connections to the brain,” Dr. Barrett-Young noted. “The thought is that many pathological changes associated with Alzheimer’s may manifest in the retina, making it a viable biomarker for assessing dementia risk.”
This study was co-led by Dr. Aaron Reuben from the University of Virginia, illustrating Otago’s commitment to international collaboration in health research. The study’s findings were published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, where researchers analyzed eye scan data collected from participants during the age 45 assessment of the Dunedin Study, New Zealand’s longest-running longitudinal health study, renowned globally for its depth in human health and development research.
Analyzing the scans revealed that narrower arterioles (the small blood vessels responsible for transporting blood away from the heart) and wider venules (small veins that carry blood from capillaries), along with thinner retinal nerve fiber layers (which transmit visual signals from the retina to the brain), were correlated with an increased risk of dementia.
Dr. Barrett-Young conveyed her surprise at the strong association found between venules and various aspects of Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that this could point to the venules being a particularly significant marker for gauging dementia risk.
Despite the significant discoveries, Dr. Barrett-Young cautioned against alarm. “This research is still foundational, and an eye scan cannot definitively predict future cognitive health,” she stated. “Our goal is to enhance methodologies using artificial intelligence to analyze eye scans, offering a clearer picture of brain health in the future, but we are not at that stage yet.”
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