Eye test may aid Alzheimer's detection

LONDON, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- British researchers say an eye test may help detect and monitor Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers at University College London said the technique uses fluorescent markers that help in gauging brain cell death and can be observed through the retina using a customized laser ophthalmoscope.

"Few people realize that the retina is a direct, albeit thin, extension of the brain," study co-leader Francesca Cordeiro says in a statement. "It is entirely possible that in the future a visit to a high-street optician to check on your eyesight will also be a check on the state of your brain."

Up to now this technique has been used on cells in the lab, rather than in live animals. This study, published in Cell Death & Disease, demonstrates use of the technique in living animals -- rats and mice.

"The equipment used for this research was customized to suit animal models but is essentially the same as is used in hospitals and clinics worldwide," Cordeiro says. "It is also inexpensive and non-invasive, which makes us fairly confident that we can progress quickly to its use in patients."