Today, Alzheimer’s is often identified through advanced procedures. These may include brain scans or analyses of spinal fluid.
According to a press release from the Blekinge Institute of Technology, these methods are both costly and burdensome.
At the same time, the disease begins long before symptoms appear. Therefore, there is a need for methods that can detect it earlier and in a less invasive way.
Research into alternatives
Researchers are now exploring other ways of examining patients. Among the approaches being studied are blood tests and digital memory assessments.
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The results are analyzed using advanced computer programs to identify early signs of the disease.
These studies are being conducted, among other places, at a memory clinic where new technologies are tested in practice.
The eye can reveal the disease
One of the methods involves examining the retina.
Here, researchers use a specialized imaging technique that can detect accumulations of a substance associated with Alzheimer’s, according to the Blekinge Institute of Technology.
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Studies show that specific areas of the retina can reveal early changes. This means the eye could be used as a simple way to detect the disease.
This method could have a significant impact. It may make it possible to detect the disease earlier and make examinations more affordable and easier to use on a large scale.
Sources: Press release from the Blekinge Institute of Technology.
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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.