Dementia warning: Yellow spots in eye could be early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease
DEMENTIA is a term used to describe different types of brain degeneration. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease, although vascular dementia and dementia with lewy bodies are also types. Symptoms of dementia include leaving items in the wrong place and memory loss. New research has provided hope for diagnosing dementia early, by finding that people with more yellow spots in their eye are more likely to have the condition.
Dementia types include vascular dementia, and dementia with lewy bodies, although Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.
Signs and symptoms of dementia can include memory loss, being unable to follow conversations or getting lost in familiar places.
Early warning signs of dementia include asking the same question repeatedly and getting up in the night.
Now, research has found a new way to detect dementia early, which could help doctors treat the condition.
Scientists led by Queen’s University, Belfast, have found that yellow spots in the eye may be an early warning sign of dementia.
Dementia could be diagnosed earlier using the sign of yellow spots in the eye, which may be an early symptom
Studying over 110 people, the researchers scanned their eyes at the beginning of the test and after two years.
They found that the change in the number of hard drusen formations, or yellow spots, on the retina was associated with the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.
“In the peripheral retina, hard druse accumulation was significantly associated with positive Alzheimer’s disease status,” said lead study author, Dr Imre Lengyel, in a statement.
“At the two year follow-up examination conducted on those who were still able to comply, we found that here were more areas associated with drusen deposition in Alzheimer’s disease, but we also observed a consistently higher increase in druse numbers in all patients when compared to controls.”
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As many as 25 per cent of people with Alzheimer’s disease that took part in the study had yellow spots on their retina, compared to four per cent of those not suffering from the condition.
The eyes had to be scanned as the yellow spots formed on the retina, inside the eye.
Leading UK laser eye surgeon, David Allamby, said “the eyes have long been thought of as a window to the body, where health of the eye is a reflection of the general health of the person.
“You can often detect the early signs of heart disease, diabetes and even brain tumour through a simple eye test.
“[The study] could prove valuable when it comes to predicting Alzheimer’s, particularly as early medical intervention is so critical when it comes to treating this terrible condition.”
Study authors concluded that their work could lead to Alzheimer’s being diagnosed early.
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Other ways to detect alzheimer’s early include watching how you walk.
Published earlier this month in the Journal of Alzheimer’s disease, a pilot study involving scientists from Newcastle University suggested that monitoring walking could allow the disease to be detected early.
Wearing small sensors on their lower back, 20 patients with early Alzheimer’s had their walking movements recorded as they carried out day to day tasks.
The data they collected found that the way someone walks is a “feasible” and “suitable” way to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers claim.
“Clinical use of body-worn sensors in annual health assessments could track gait changes over time and act as a red flag for cognitive impairment,” said Professor Lynn Rochester from Newcastle University, who was involved with the study.
“Body-worn sensors can provide an enriched picture of an individual’s gait function and walking activities that could act as a complimentary diagnostic tool for clinicians."