Eye Tests Predict Parkinson’s Progression

 If you have any competence at all in your stroke hospital your doctor will give you this test to establish a baseline for your risk of Parkinsons post stroke. Do you have a competent hospital? NO? Then why are you there?

Parkinson’s Disease May Have Link to Stroke March 2017

The latest here:

Eye Tests Predict Parkinson’s Progression

Summary: Optical coherence tomography, commonly used in eye exams, can monitor neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease patients by measuring the thickness of the retina. This method has revealed that retinal degeneration often precedes cognitive and motor decline, offering a potential early indicator of disease progression.

The study, which tracked changes in Parkinson’s patients from 2015 to 2021, found a significant thinning of the retinal layer linked to the severity of the disease. These findings suggest that eye tests could become a non-invasive tool for predicting the future severity of Parkinson’s symptoms, aiding in more targeted treatment strategies.

Key Facts:

1. Optical coherence tomography was used to measure retinal thickness in Parkinson’s patients, showing that neurodegeneration in the retina precedes cognitive and motor symptoms.
2. The study indicated that a thinner retinal layer at early stages could predict faster cognitive decline and more severe disease progression.
3. This research could lead to the use of routine eye exams as a non-invasive method to monitor and predict the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

Source: University of the Basque Country

Although there are still some aspects pending confirmation for its use in the clinical setting, and its resolution needs to be improved slightly, a study by the UPV/EHU and Biobizkaia has shown that a method routinely used to carry out ophthalmological tests can also be used to monitor the neurodegeneration that occurs in Parkinson’s patients.

In the course of the research, it was found that the neurodegeneration of the retina probably precedes cognitive impairment.

When Parkinson’s or another neurodegenerative disease is diagnosed, patients always ask, “And now what? What will happen? What can be expected from the disease?”

“For neurologists, however, it is not possible to answer these questions precisely, as “the evolution of patients tends to be very varied: some experience no change over the years, while others end up with dementia or in a wheelchair,” explained Ane Murueta-Goyena, researcher in the UPV/EHU’s department of Neurosciences.

Today, identifying Parkinson’s patients at risk of cognitive impairment poses a major challenge, yet this is necessary when it comes to providing more effective clinical treatments and stepping up clinical trials.

In fact, Dr. Ane Murueta-Goyena, in collaboration with Biobizkaia’s research staff, wanted to see “whether the visual system can enable this deterioration to be predicted, in other words, what future the patient can expect within a few years.” The thickness of the retina was used for this purpose.

The retina is a membrane located at the back of the eyeball; it is related to the nervous system and comprises several layers. During the study, a cohort of Parkinson’s patients had the thickness of the innermost layer of their retinas measured using optical coherence tomography.

This type of tomography is a routinely used instrument in ophthalmological tests, as it allows high-resolution, repeatable, and accurate measurements to be made. So the evolution of this retinal layer was analyzed and compared in people with and without Parkinson’s disease over the 2015–2021 period.

The results of the analysis of the images of the retinal layers of Parkinson’s patients were also confirmed in a UK hospital.

The results showed that the retinal layer is noticeably thinner in Parkinson’s patients. It was also observed that “during the initial phases of the disease it is in the retina where the greatest neurodegeneration is detected, and, from a given moment onwards, when the layer is already very thin, a kind of stabilizing of the neurodegeneration process takes place.”

“Retinal thinning and cognitive impairment do not occur simultaneously. The initial changes in the retina are more evident and then, over the years, patients are observed to worsen clinically in both cognitive and motor terms,” explained Murueta-Goya.

“In other words, the slower retinal layer thickness loss is associated with faster cognitive decline; this slowness is linked to greater severity of the disease.”

The researcher has attached great importance to the results. “We have obtained information on the progression of the disease, and the tool we are proposing is non-invasive and available at all hospitals.”

The results need to be validated internationally, and “by slightly improving the resolution of the technology, we will be closer to validating the method for monitoring the neurodegeneration that takes place in Parkinson’s disease.” The researcher also revealed that they are continuing the research on another cohort of patients and that funding is the key.

About this Parkinson’s disease research news

Author: Ane Murueta-Goyena
Source: University of the Basque Country
Contact: Ane Murueta-Goyena – University of the Basque Country
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Eye Scans Detect Parkinson’s Years Before Symptoms Surface

With your risk of Parkinsons post stroke, does your doctor have enough functioning brain cells to get this into a testing protocol for all stroke patients? 

Parkinson’s Disease May Have Link to Stroke March 2017 

Do you prefer your doctor incompetence in this NOT KNOWING? OR NOT DOING?

 

Eye Scans Detect Parkinson’s Years Before Symptoms Surface

Summary: A new study identified markers in eye scans which can detect the presence of Parkinson’s disease an average of seven years before clinical presentation. This research, the largest of its kind, utilized artificial intelligence to analyze retinal imaging, revealing these early indicators of Parkinson’s.

The innovative field of “oculomics” has previously unveiled signs of various neurodegenerative conditions through eye scans. This development brings hope for early intervention and prevention of the debilitating disease.

Key Facts:

1. Retinal imaging detected Parkinson’s disease markers seven years before clinical symptoms.
2. The study used AI to analyze the AlzEye dataset and confirmed findings with the UK Biobank database.
3. This “oculomics” technique has previously identified early signs of Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and schizophrenia.

Source: UCL

Markers that indicate the presence of Parkinson’s disease in patients on average seven years before clinical presentation have been identified by a UCL and Moorfields Eye Hospital research team.

This is the first time anyone has shown these findings several years before diagnosis, and these results were made possible by the largest study to date on retinal imaging in Parkinson’s disease.

It further found that a reduced thickness of these layers was associated with increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, beyond that conferred by other factors or comorbidities. Credit: Neuroscience News

The study, published today in Neurology, identified markers of Parkinson’s in eye scans with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).

Eye Test Can Detect Alzheimer’s Early

You might want this test now so you have a baseline because of your risk of Alzheimers post stroke. You'll also want the eye test for Parkinsons to also create a baseline.

Eye Tests Predict Parkinson’s-Associated Cognitive Decline 18 Months Ahead

The latest here:

Eye Test Can Detect Alzheimer’s Early

Current tests cannot spot the disease until it is too late.

Alzheimer’s can be diagnosed early with a non-invasive eye test, research finds.

The new way of imaging the retina (called optical coherence tomography angiography) allows scientists to spot tell-tale changes to blood vessels in the back of the eye.

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The test can spot patients with a family history of Alzheimer’s but who are not yet experiencing any symptoms, according to the latest research.

It is also capable of telling apart those with mild cognitive impairment from those with Alzheimer’s.

Early diagnosis is critical to the treatment of Alzheimer’s.

Current tests cannot spot the disease until it is too late.

Dr Ygal Rotenstreich, the lead researcher, said:

“A brain scan can detect Alzheimer’s when the disease is well beyond a treatable phase.

We need treatment intervention sooner.

These patients are at such high-risk.”

The test works because the brain is connected to the eye by the optic nerve.

Changes in the retina and the blood vessels reflect changes in the brain.

Professor Sharon Fekrat, study co-author, said:

“This project meets a huge unmet need.

It’s not possible for current techniques like a brain scan or lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to screen the number of patients with this disease.

Almost everyone has a family member or extended family affected by Alzheimer’s.

We need to detect the disease earlier and introduce treatments earlier.”

 

Your Eyes May Signal Your Risk for Stroke, Dementia

You'll have to ask your doctor what the definition of older is.

Your Eyes May Signal Your Risk for Stroke, Dementia 

Amy Norton

THURSDAY, March 11, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Your eyes may be a window into the health of your brain, a new study indicates.

Researchers found that older adults with the eye disease retinopathy were at increased risk of having a stroke, as well as possible symptoms of dementia. And on average, they died sooner than people their age without the eye condition.

Retinopathy refers to a disease the retina, the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye. It's often caused by diabetes or high blood pressure, both of which can damage the small blood vessels supplying the retina.

Retinopathy can lead to vision changes, such as trouble reading or seeing faraway objects. In the later stages, the damaged blood vessels may leak and cause visual disturbances like dark spots or cobweb-like streaks, according to the U.S. National Eye Institute (NEI).

Studies have linked more severe retinopathy to a higher stroke risk -- possibly because both involve diseased blood vessels.

In the new study, researchers found that people with signs of retinopathy were twice as likely to report a history of stroke, versus those with no evidence of the eye disease. Similarly, they were 70% more likely to report memory problems -- a potential indicator of dementia.

Over the next decade, people with the most severe retinopathy faced a two to three times higher risk of dying.

It's not clear whether retinopathy actually foretells a future stroke or memory issues, said lead researcher Dr. Michelle Lin, an assistant professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla.

Study participants were asked about stroke history and memory problems at the same time they were evaluated for retinopathy. It's not clear which conditions came first, Lin said.

The next step, she added, is to follow patients with retinopathy over time, to see whether the condition predicts higher stroke risk -- and whether detecting retinopathy makes a difference in that risk.

Lin will present the findings at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting, being held virtually March 17-19. Studies reported at meetings are generally considered preliminary until they are published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The results are based on more than 5,500 U.S. adults who took part in an ongoing government health study. All underwent retinal scans to look for retinopathy.

Nearly 700 were found to have the eye condition, while 289 had a history of stroke, and about 600 reported memory problems.

On average, people with retinopathy had heightened risks of stroke and memory issues -- even after age, diabetes and high blood pressure were taken into account.

"It seems like there's something about retinopathy itself," Lin said. That is, the eye disease may give insight into what's happening in the blood vessels of the brain.

"It's really true that the eye is the window to the brain," she said.

Lin encouraged people with retinopathy to work with their doctor to get control of their risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which includes stroke and heart disease. That means reining in conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Those measures are also key in limiting vision loss from retinopathy. Beyond that, injectable medications and laser surgery are options for more severe cases, according to the NEI.

The findings support adding retinopathy to the list of factors doctors consider in gauging patients' stroke risk, according to Daniel Lackland, a volunteer expert with the stroke association.

That's, in part, because detecting retinopathy is fairly simple, said Lackland, who is also a professor of epidemiology at the Medical University of South Carolina.

"And then we can work on strategies for preventing a stroke, if a person seems to have a high risk," Lackland noted.

If people are already being treated for conditions like high blood pressure, would a retinopathy diagnosis change anything? Maybe not, though Lin said patients could be screened for memory impairment, or possibly referred for a brain MRI to look for tissue damage or problems with the blood vessels.

On the flip side, Lin said, people with cardiovascular risk factors should see an ophthalmologist to check their eye health.

More Information

The U.S. National Eye Institute has more on retinopathy.

SOURCES: Michelle Lin, MD, assistant professor, neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla.; Daniel Lackland, DrPh, professor, epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, and volunteer expert, American Stroke Association; American Stroke Association virtual annual meeting, March 17-19, 2021

 

Eye Tests Predict Parkinson’s-Associated Cognitive Decline 18 Months Ahead

You might want this test now so you have a baseline because of your risk of Parkinsons post stroke.

Parkinson’s Disease May Have Link to Stroke March 2017 

The latest here:

Eye Tests Predict Parkinson’s-Associated Cognitive Decline 18 Months Ahead

Simple vision tests can predict which people with Parkinson’s disease will develop cognitive impairment and possible dementia 18 months later, according to a study published in Movement Disorders.

The findings add to evidence that vision changes precede the cognitive decline that occurs in many, but not all, people with Parkinson’s disease.

In another study published in Communications Biology, the same research team found that structural and functional connections of brain regions become decoupled throughout the entire brain in people with Parkinson’s disease, particularly among people with vision problems.

The 2 studies together show how losses and changes to the brain’s wiring underlie the cognitive impairment experienced by many people with Parkinson’s disease.

“We have found that people with Parkinson’s disease who have visual problems are more likely to get dementia, and that appears to be explained by underlying changes to their brain wiring,” said lead author Angeliki Zarkali, MD, Dementia Research Centre, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom. “Vision tests might provide us with a window of opportunity to predict Parkinson’s dementia before it begins, which may help us find ways to stop the cognitive decline before it’s too late.”

For the Movement Disorders paper, the researchers studied 77 patients with Parkinson’s disease and found that simple vision tests predicted who would go on to get dementia 1.5 years later. The study also found that those who went on to develop Parkinson’s dementia had losses in the wiring of the brain, including in areas relating to vision and memory. The researchers identified white matter damage to some of the long-distance wiring connecting the front and back of the brain, which helps the brain to function as a cohesive whole network.

The Communications Biology study involved 88 people with Parkinson’s disease (33 of whom had visual dysfunction and were thus judged to have a high risk of dementia) and 30 healthy adults as a control group, whose brains were imaged using MRI scans. The researchers found that people with Parkinson’s disease exhibited a higher degree of decoupling across the whole brain. Areas at the back of the brain, and less specialised areas, had the most decoupling in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Patients with Parkinson’s disease with visual dysfunction had more decoupling in some, but not all brain regions, particularly in memory-related regions in the temporal lobe.

The research team also found changes to the levels of some neurotransmitters in people at risk of cognitive decline, suggesting that receptors for those transmitters may be potential targets for new drug treatments for Parkinson’s dementia. Notably, while dopamine is known to be implicated in Parkinson’s, the researchers found that other neurotransmitters -- acetylcholine, serotonin, and noradrenaline -- were particularly affected in people at risk of cognitive decline.

“The 2 papers together help us to understand what’s going on in the brains of people with Parkinson’s who experience cognitive decline, as it appears to be driven by a breakdown in the wiring that connects different brain regions,” said Dr. Angeliki.

“Our findings could be valuable for clinical trials, by showing that vision tests can help us identify who we should be targeting for trials of new drugs that might be able to slow Parkinson’s -- and ultimately if effective treatments are found, then these simple tests may help us identify who will benefit from which treatments,” said senior author Rimona Weil, MD, University College London.

References: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mds.28477 and https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-020-01622-9

SOURCE: University College London

 

An Early Alzheimer’s Indicator Is In The Eyes

 

You'll want to have your doctor give this test to you to establish a baseline. And this will force your doctors to come up with effective Alzheimers prevention protocols.  Because there is no point in giving you an Alzheimers prediction test if nothing can be done.

Your chances of getting dementia.

1. A documented 33% dementia chance post-stroke from an Australian study?   May 2012.

2. Then this study came out and seems to have a range from 17-66%. December 2013.`    

3. A 20% chance in this research.   July 2013.

4. Dementia Risk Doubled in Patients Following Stroke September 2018

But maybe this: which you doctor needs to come up with EXACT amounts of caffeine to consume. YOUR DOCTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY!

Caffeine causes widespread brain entropy (and that's a good thing)

April 2018

The readable version here:

An Early Alzheimer’s Indicator Is In The Eyes

The research it is based on is here:

Parafoveal vessel loss and correlation between peripapillary vessel density and cognitive performance in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer’s Disease on optical coherence tomography angiography

 

Retinal photos taken in the emergency department helped differentiate transient ischemic attack from stroke mimics in the FOTO-TIA study

You better hope your emergency room doctors are trained in this, especially for young adult strokes.  Or you will need to demand an eye scan in the ER. Hope you are coherent enough to know how to challenge ER doctors on their expertise. Personally I'd prefer these much faster and objective ways of stroke determination, but then I know nothing, I'm not medically trained.

Hats off to Helmet of Hope - stroke diagnosis in 30 seconds   February 2017

 

Microwave Imaging for Brain Stroke Detection and Monitoring using High Performance Computing in 94 seconds March 2017

 

New Device Quickly Assesses Brain Bleeding in Head Injuries - 5-10 minutes April 2017

The latest here:  

Retinal photos taken in the emergency department helped differentiate transient ischemic attack from stroke mimics in the FOTO-TIA study

Laurel N. Vuong, MD, Praneetha Thulasi, MD, Valérie Biousse, MD, Philip Garza, BS, David W. Wright, MD, Nancy J. Newman, MD, and Beau B. Bruce, MD, PhD

Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer

This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

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Abstract

Objectives:

We evaluated the frequency and predictive value of ocular fundus abnormalities among patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) with focal neurologic deficits to determine the utility of these findings in the evaluation of patients with suspected TIA and stroke.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional pilot study, ocular fundus photographs were obtained using a nonmydriatic fundus camera. Demographic, neuroimaging, and ABCD² score components were collected. Photographs were reviewed for retinal microvascular abnormalities. The results were analyzed using univariate statistics and logistic regression modeling.

Results:

Two hundred fifty-seven patients presented to the ED with focal neurologic deficits, of whom 81 patients (32%) had cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and 144 (56%; 95% confidence interval: 50%–62%) had retinal microvascular abnormalities. Focal and general arteriolar narrowing increased the odds of clinically diagnosed CVD by 5.5 and 2.6 times, respectively, after controlling for the ABCD² score and diffusion-weighted imaging. These fundus findings also significantly differentiated TIA from non-CVD, even after controlling for the ABCD² score.

Conclusions:

Focal and general arteriolar narrowing were independent predictors of CVD overall, and TIA alone, even after controlling for the ABCD² score and diffusion-weighted imaging lesions. The inclusion of nonmydriatic ocular fundus photographs in the evaluation of patients presenting to the ED with focal neurologic deficits may assist in the differentiation of stroke and TIA from other causes of focal neurologic deficits.

Annually in the United States, 200,000 to 500,000 patients experience TIA,¹ with 7% to 14% subsequently having a stroke within 90 days.² A number of scores, particularly the widely used ABCD² score, were developed to determine which patients with TIA have the highest risk of stroke.² However, these scores have serious limitations.^3,–7 Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has revolutionized the differentiation of stroke from TIA.¹ However, a negative DWI does not assist with the difficult, and arguably more important, task of differentiating TIA from non–cerebrovascular diseases, and TIA diagnosis remains very challenging. About 30% to 50% of patients diagnosed with suspected TIA by non neurologists are ultimately determined not to have a TIA by a stroke neurologist.^8,9 Even among non stroke neurologists, agreement about TIA is only moderate to good.¹⁰

Epidemiologic investigations have shown an association between ocular fundus abnormalities and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke,^11,–17 suggesting that ocular funduscopic findings may be useful in the diagnosis of TIA and stroke in patients who present to the emergency department (ED) with focal neurologic deficits. Nonmydriatic fundus cameras can be used to assess for abnormalities of the ocular fundus, and the cameras are compact, easy to use, and do not require pupillary dilation, making them an ideal tool for non ophthalmologists. We undertook a pilot investigation to evaluate the role of ocular fundus abnormalities in TIA and stroke diagnosis using patients who presented to our ED with focal neurologic deficits during the Fundus Photography vs Ophthalmoscopy Trial Outcomes in the Emergency Department (FOTO-ED) Study.

Alzheimer’s and brain health could soon be detected using an eye exam

With your likely chance of dementia/Alzheimers your doctor should be using this to establish a baseline for you.

You will need this.

Your chances of getting dementia.

1. A documented 33% dementia chance post-stroke from an Australian study?   May 2012.
2. Then this study came out and seems to have a range from 17-66%. December 2013.
3. A 20% chance in this research.   July 2013.

 

Alzheimer’s and brain health could soon be detected using an eye exam

• Download PDF Copy

By Ananya Mandal, MDMar 12 2019Reviewed by Kate Anderton, B.Sc.

Soon, an eye examination may be all that is needed to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at Duke's Health.

4 PM production | Shutterstock

Duke Eye Center recently recruited and studied the retinas of over 200 individuals to see if there were any differences between those with Alzheimer's and those without. The results of the study titled, “Retinal Microvascular and Neurodegenerative Changes in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment Compared with Control Participants,” were published in the latest issue of the journal Ophthalmology Retina.
The results showed that people who have a healthy brain function have a dense microscopic network of blood vessels in the retina, which can be observed through an eye examination. This web-like network of vessels was much less pronounced in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
The data is based on retinal images from 133 healthy participants and 39 individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Age, gender, level of education was adjusted for all cases and controls to remove the influence of bias in the results.
Duke ophthalmologist and retinal surgeon Sharon Fekrat, senior author of the study said that the differences were significant among cases and controls:

We're measuring blood vessels that can't be seen during a regular eye exam and we're doing that with relatively new noninvasive technology that takes high-resolution images of very small blood vessels within the retina in just a few minutes. It's possible that these changes in blood vessel density in the retina could mirror what's going on in the tiny blood vessels in the brain, perhaps before we are able to detect any changes in cognition.”

Sharon Fekrat, Senior Author

The team found that there were tell-tale signs of changes in the retinal blood vessels among those who have a mild cognitive impairment, a known precursor for Alzheimer’s disease. This is due to changes in the retinal nerve layers with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s.

We know that there are changes that occur in the brain in the small blood vessels in people with Alzheimer's disease, and because the retina is an extension of the brain, we wanted to investigate whether these changes could be detected in the retina using a new technology that is less invasive and easy to obtain.

Dilraj S. Grewal, Lead Author

He said that they used a non-invasive technology called optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to measure the blood flow in each of the layers of the retina. Some of the changes detected were in capillaries or blood vessels that measured less than the width of a human hair he explained.
Fekrat said, “Ultimately, the goal would be to use this technology to detect Alzheimer's early, before symptoms of memory loss are evident, and be able to monitor these changes over time in participants of clinical trials studying new Alzheimer's treatments.”
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, 2018 Unrestricted Grant from Research to Prevent Blindness and the Karen L. Wrenn Alzheimer's Disease Award.

Source:

Retinal Microvascular and Neurodegenerative Changes in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment Compared with Control Participants. Ophthalmology Retina. 2019.

New robotic system can diagnose neurodegenerative diseases through eye movements

And after it is diagnosed you can use this:  

Scientists hope they have found a drug to stop all neurodegenerative brain diseases, including dementia April, 2017 

 

Assuming your doctor didn't drop the ball and did nothing to get it tested in humans.

 

New robotic system can diagnose neurodegenerative diseases through eye movements

• Download PDF Copy

June 13, 2018

A new robotic system developed by UPM researchers and AURA Innovative Robotics Company can help diagnose neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Parkinson, through the analysis of eye movements.
OSCANN Desk is a non-invasive technology developed by researchers from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and the company AURA Innotive Robotics, led by Cecilia García Cena that with a simple and fast test can provide data about brain functioning through the measurement of eye movements.
This new system is in the phase of clinical trial authorized by the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices in six Spanish hospitals and, thanks to techniques of imaging processing and machine learning, its results will allow doctors to early diagnose neurodegenerative diseases and carry out customized treatments.
The diagnosis process of a neurodegenerative disease takes time since symptoms are complex to assess in the early stages of the disease. Besides, there are symptoms that are common to other neurodegenerative diseases such as tremors. High rates of diagnostic uncertainty make objective tests necessary to achieve an accurate medicine in which each patient receives information, prognosis and appropriate treatment.
The physiological process in medicine explains the eye movements. To accurately measure these movements would provide real-time information about how the brain is working at that moment. From this premise and in order to achieve an early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, researchers from Centre for Automation and Robotics (CAR) CSIC-UPM and AURA Innovative Robotics Startup Company have developed OSCANN desk, an assistant medical device that through techniques of image processing and machine learning is able to accurately assess the eye movements.
Thanks to this new tool, doctors will have objective data of the brain functioning that, along with other clinical data, will use to carry out an accurate early diagnosis of the disease.
The test is conducted in a health care center with no need for a second doctor's appointment. The personnel select a set of calibration and tests of each patient. The patient sits comfortably in a chair and the device is adapted to his anatomy to precisely measure the eye movement. The patient has to look at the stimulus that appears on a monitor, each test lasts about a minute.

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The clinical tests allowed researchers to develop models of pathologies and, by applying machine learning techniques, similarities and differences are searched among over 500 variables of eye movement. Likewise, the progress of certain symptoms can be objectively measured. This will help doctors to make a diagnosis and customize the treatment.
Today, the tests are applied to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, mild cognitive impairment, diverse dementias, multiple sclerosis, etc. Besides, researchers are collaborating in other clinical research such as autistic spectrum disorders, epilepsy, diabetes, alcoholism, migraines, depression and bipolar disorder. This tool is being used in six hospitals that are national reference centers in pathologies: Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Hospital Sant Pau, Hospital Clinic de Valencia, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla and Hospital Valle de Hebrón. Besides, the Centro de Investigaciones Príncipe Felipe is collaborating in the project.
In a near future, OSCANN Desk will be working in HM Hospitals, specifically in the Memory Disorders Unit of HM CINAC located at the Hospital Universitario HM Madrid.

Source:

http://www.upm.es/internacional/UPM/UPM_Channel/Research_News?id=a1f94820678f3610VgnVCM10000009c7648a____&fmt=detail&prefmt=articulo

Retinal signs and 20-year cognitive decline in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Now that you know this and your doctor doesn't, How are you going to make sure you get tested for this and receive protocols to prevent such cognitive decline? Using the excuse that there are no clinically proven ways to do that is incompetence at its finest. They should have been partnering with researchers years ago to find solutions.  They have left this problem fester for years.
A more readable article here:

These health problems can be predicted with a look into your eyes

The research here:

Retinal signs and 20-year cognitive decline in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Jennifer A. Deal, A. Richey Sharrett, Andreea M. Rawlings, Rebecca F. Gottesman, Karen Bandeen-Roche, Marilyn Albert, David Knopman, Elizabeth Selvin, Bruce A. Wasserman, Barbara Klein and Ronald Klein

First published February 28, 2018, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000005205

Jennifer A. Deal

From the Departments of Epidemiology (J.A.D., A.R.S., A.M.R., R.F.G., E.S.), Neurology (R.F.G., M.A.), Biostatistics (K.B.-R.), and Radiology and Radiological Sciences (B.A.W.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.K., R.K.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison.

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A. Richey Sharrett

From the Departments of Epidemiology (J.A.D., A.R.S., A.M.R., R.F.G., E.S.), Neurology (R.F.G., M.A.), Biostatistics (K.B.-R.), and Radiology and Radiological Sciences (B.A.W.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.K., R.K.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison.

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Andreea M. Rawlings

From the Departments of Epidemiology (J.A.D., A.R.S., A.M.R., R.F.G., E.S.), Neurology (R.F.G., M.A.), Biostatistics (K.B.-R.), and Radiology and Radiological Sciences (B.A.W.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.K., R.K.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison.

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Karen Bandeen-Roche

From the Departments of Epidemiology (J.A.D., A.R.S., A.M.R., R.F.G., E.S.), Neurology (R.F.G., M.A.), Biostatistics (K.B.-R.), and Radiology and Radiological Sciences (B.A.W.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.K., R.K.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison.

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Marilyn Albert

From the Departments of Epidemiology (J.A.D., A.R.S., A.M.R., R.F.G., E.S.), Neurology (R.F.G., M.A.), Biostatistics (K.B.-R.), and Radiology and Radiological Sciences (B.A.W.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.K., R.K.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison.

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David Knopman

From the Departments of Epidemiology (J.A.D., A.R.S., A.M.R., R.F.G., E.S.), Neurology (R.F.G., M.A.), Biostatistics (K.B.-R.), and Radiology and Radiological Sciences (B.A.W.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.K., R.K.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison.

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Elizabeth Selvin

From the Departments of Epidemiology (J.A.D., A.R.S., A.M.R., R.F.G., E.S.), Neurology (R.F.G., M.A.), Biostatistics (K.B.-R.), and Radiology and Radiological Sciences (B.A.W.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.K., R.K.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison.

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Barbara Klein

From the Departments of Epidemiology (J.A.D., A.R.S., A.M.R., R.F.G., E.S.), Neurology (R.F.G., M.A.), Biostatistics (K.B.-R.), and Radiology and Radiological Sciences (B.A.W.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.K., R.K.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison.

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Ronald Klein

From the Departments of Epidemiology (J.A.D., A.R.S., A.M.R., R.F.G., E.S.), Neurology (R.F.G., M.A.), Biostatistics (K.B.-R.), and Radiology and Radiological Sciences (B.A.W.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.K., R.K.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison.

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Abstract

Objective To test the hypothesis that retinal vascular signs are associated with greater cognitive decline over 20 years in 12,317 men and women 50 to 73 years of age at baseline.

Methods A composite cognitive score was created with 3 neuropsychological tests measured at 3 time points (1990–1992 to 2011–2013). Retinal signs were measured with fundus photography (1993–1995). Differences in cognitive change by retinal signs status were estimated with linear mixed models. Cognitive scores were imputed for living participants with incomplete cognitive testing.

Results In multivariable-adjusted analyses that controlled for attrition, loss of vascular integrity (retinopathy and its components) was associated with greater 20-year decline (difference in 20-year cognitive change for moderate/severe vs no retinopathy −0.53 SD, 95% confidence interval −0.74 to −0.33). Estimated differences were similar in participants with and without diabetes mellitus and in white and black participants.

Conclusions Retinopathy was associated with accelerated rates of 20-year cognitive decline. These findings support the exploration of more sensitive measures in the eye such as optical coherence tomography angiography, which may provide surrogate indexes of microvascular lesions relevant to cognitive decline in older adults.

• Received May 3, 2017.
• Accepted in final form December 19, 2017.

• © 2018 American Academy of Neurology

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Non-Invasive Eye Scan Could Detect Signs of Alzheimer’s Years Before Patients Show Symptoms

After your doctor runs this test, what are the EXACT effective dementia prevention protocols you are prescribed?

1. A documented 33% dementia chance post-stroke from an Australian study?   May 2012.
2. Then this study came out and seems to have a range from 17-66%. December 2013.
3. A 20% chance in this research.   July 2013.

Non-Invasive Eye Scan Could Detect Signs of Alzheimer’s Years Before Patients Show Symptoms 

August 18, 2017

LOS ANGELES -- August 18, 2017 -- Alzheimer’s disease affects the retina similarly to the way it affects the brain, according to a study published in JCI Insight.
The study also revealed that an investigational, non-invasive eye scan could detect the key signs of Alzheimer’s disease years before patients experience symptoms.
Using a high-definition eye scan developed especially for the study, researchers detected the crucial warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease: amyloid-beta deposits. The findings represent a major advancement toward identifying people at high risk for the debilitating condition years sooner.
“The findings suggest that the retina may serve as a reliable source for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis,” said Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, PhD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. “One of the major advantages of analysing the retina is the repeatability, which allows us to monitor patients and potentially the progression of their disease.”
Another key finding from the study was the discovery of amyloid plaques in previously overlooked peripheral regions of the retina. The researchers found that the amount of plaque in the retina correlated with plaque amount in specific areas of the brain.
“Now we know exactly where to look to find the signs of Alzheimer’s disease as early as possible,” said Yosef Koronyo, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
“Our hope is that eventually the investigational eye scan will be used as a screening device to detect the disease early enough to intervene and change the course of the disorder with medications and lifestyle changes,” said Keith L. Black, MD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
The study included 16 patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The patients drank a solution that included curcumin, which causes amyloid plaque in the retina to light up and be detected by a modified scanning laser ophthalmoscope. The patients were then compared to a group of 37 younger, cognitively normal individuals.
Histological examination uncovered classical and neuritic-like Abeta deposits with increased retinal amyloid-beta 42 plaques (4.7-fold; P = .0063) and neuronal loss (P = .0023) in patients with AD versus matched controls. Retinal amyloid-beta plaque mirrored brain pathology, especially in the primary visual cortex.
Reference: https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.93621
SOURCE: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center