Eye test that spots Alzheimer's 20 years before symptoms

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Eye test that spots Alzheimer's 20 years before symptoms: Middle-aged could be screened at routine optician's visitBy Fiona Macrae
Last updated at 1:27 AM on 15th January 2010


A test that can detect Alzheimer's up to 20 years before any symptoms show is being developed by British scientists.
The simple and inexpensive eye test could be part of routine examinations by high street opticians in as little as three years, allowing those in middle age to be screened.
Dementia experts said it had the power to revolutionise the treatment of Alzheimer's by making it possible for drugs to be given in the earliest stages.

Simple: The middle-aged could visit their local optician and have the special eye test as part of a routine examination
The technique, being pioneered at University College London, could also speed up the development of medication capable of stopping the disease in its tracks, preventing people from ever showing symptoms.

Rebecca Wood, of the Alzheimer's Trust, said: 'These findings have the potential to transform the way we diagnose Alzheimer's, greatly enhancing efforts to develop new treatments.'

Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia blight the lives of 700,000 Britons and their families, and the number of cases is expected to double within a generation.

There is no cure and existing drugs do not work for everyone.
Current diagnosis is based on memory tests, and expensive brain scans are also sometimes used.

However decisive proof of the disease usually comes from examination of the patient's brain after death.
Diagnosis: Eye drops would be used in the test to highlight diseased cells at the back of the eye
The eye test would provide a quick, easy, cheap and highly-accurate diagnosis.
It exploits the fact that the light-sensitive cells in the retina at the back of the eye are a direct extension of the brain.
Using eye drops which highlight diseased cells, the UCL researchers showed for the first time in a living eye that the amount of damage to cells in the retina directly corresponds with brain cell death.
They have also pinpointed the pattern of retinal cell death characteristic of Alzheimer's. So far their diagnosis has been right every time.
With research showing that cells start to die ten to 20 years before the symptoms of Alzheimer's become evident, it could allow people to be screened in middle age for signs of the disease.
However, some may not want to know their fate so far in advance. There is also the fear that insurance companies could increase premiums for those who test positive while still young.


Read more: Simple eye test for Alzheimer's could catch disease at crucial early stage | Mail Online

Simple eye test for Alzheimer's could catch disease at crucial early stage | Mail Online
 
Very interesting but if there is nothing that can be done about the oncoming alzheimer's I really would not want to know that is my fate 20 years down the road.
 
Very interesting but if there is nothing that can be done about the oncoming alzheimer's I really would not want to know that is my fate 20 years down the road.

Read the article. There are Altzheimers supressing drugs that slow the progression of Altzheimers. And if caught early might let you live a good life till something else kills you.
 
I think I have posted this before, but when I worked with people with alzheimers or dementia, 95% of them had blue eyes. When I quit there, we only had two residents with brown eyes.
I figure with the amount of pot I have smoked, there is no plaque building up in my brain. :)


On finding out 20 years before I would start to see the effects of the disease, I don't think I would want to know unless they come up with a cure.
 
Very interesting but if there is nothing that can be done about the oncoming alzheimer's I really would not want to know that is my fate 20 years down the road.

Read the article. There are Altzheimers supressing drugs that slow the progression of Altzheimers. And if caught early might let you live a good life till something else kills you.

and some studies show smoking marijuana works better at slowing down the progression than most drugs out there. :D
 
I think I have posted this before, but when I worked with people with alzheimers or dementia, 95% of them had blue eyes. When I quit there, we only had two residents with brown eyes.
I figure with the amount of pot I have smoked, there is no plaque building up in my brain. :)


On finding out 20 years before I would start to see the effects of the disease, I don't think I would want to know unless they come up with a cure.

so you would not take blood pressure or chlosterol medicine till they can actually cure it?
 
I would take the medicine if I had high blood pressure at the time.

And PS I have seen probably 30 people die of some form of dementia, if I find out I am going to get the disease and there is no cure I would probably kill myself. It is a slow terrible death, and I wouldn't want to go through that hell or let my son watch me die the slow death.
 
I would take the medicine if I had high blood pressure at the time.

And PS I have seen probably 30 people die of some form of dementia, if I find out I am going to get the disease and there is no cure I would probably kill myself. It is a slow terrible death, and I wouldn't want to go through that hell or let my son watch me die the slow death.

I understand. I will likely check out this year because of quality of life issues. No dymensia though.
 
I would take the medicine if I had high blood pressure at the time.

And PS I have seen probably 30 people die of some form of dementia, if I find out I am going to get the disease and there is no cure I would probably kill myself. It is a slow terrible death, and I wouldn't want to go through that hell or let my son watch me die the slow death.

I understand. I will likely check out this year because of quality of life issues. No dymensia though.

I am sorry!

Luckly here in Washington assisted suicide is legal, of course there is limitations.
 
I would take the medicine if I had high blood pressure at the time.

And PS I have seen probably 30 people die of some form of dementia, if I find out I am going to get the disease and there is no cure I would probably kill myself. It is a slow terrible death, and I wouldn't want to go through that hell or let my son watch me die the slow death.

I understand. I will likely check out this year because of quality of life issues. No dymensia though.

I am sorry!

Luckly here in Washington assisted suicide is legal, of course there is limitations.

I do not require any assist. It will be a clean overdose, no shot to the brainpan to stress people.

when it is time to go it is time to go.
 

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