{"id":1400,"date":"2019-12-19T19:01:07","date_gmt":"2019-12-19T19:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/touchinghearts.com\/blog\/middletn\/?p=534"},"modified":"2019-12-19T19:01:07","modified_gmt":"2019-12-19T19:01:07","slug":"homecare-spring-hill-tn-could-eyes-be-the-key-to-diagnosing-alzheimers-earlier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/touchinghearts.com\/middletn\/blog\/homecare-spring-hill-tn-could-eyes-be-the-key-to-diagnosing-alzheimers-earlier\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Eyes Be the Key to Diagnosing Alzheimer\u2019s Earlier?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t

Despite the gains scientists have made in understanding Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/strong>, there\u2019s still a lot that is unknown. One thing that scientists have not discovered is a way to diagnose the disease when it is in its early stages. Alzheimer\u2019s disease begins long before there are any outward signs of the disease, damaging pathways and tissues in the brain.<\/p>\n

\"Homecare

Homecare Spring Hill TN – Could Eyes Be the Key to Diagnosing Alzheimer\u2019s Earlier?<\/p><\/div>\n

Finding a way to diagnose the disease earlier could lead to better treatments that might slow the onset of the symptoms. Recently, scientists found that retinal imaging might be useful in making an early diagnosis.<\/p>\n

Alzheimer\u2019s Disease and the Eyes<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

This latest study was conducted by scientists at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. There were 35 participants who agreed to undergo hyperspectral imaging (HSI). HSI is a kind of scan that takes just 10 minutes to administer. It uses a special camera and is noninvasive.<\/p>\n

HSI scatters electromagnetic radiation particles in the eye. The scientists looked for a difference in the scattering of the light that they expected from eyes that contained tiny clusters of beta-amyloid, one of the hallmark changes in the brain that occurs with Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

To prove the effectiveness of the technique, the researchers compared the HSI scans of 19 people with Alzheimer\u2019s to those of 16 people without the disease. They found that the expected changes in the dispersion of the particles was a good indicator of people who had some stage of Alzheimer\u2019s disease, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI).<\/p>\n

Early Signs of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The study is an excellent example of the strides that scientists are making in gaining a better understanding of Alzheimer\u2019s disease. However, the technique must undergo further testing to determine if it is an effective method of diagnosis. Until a way is discovered to diagnose Alzheimer\u2019s during its earliest stages, most people with Alzheimer\u2019s disease will only be diagnosed after symptoms begin to appear.<\/p>\n

Some of the early signs of Alzheimer\u2019s disease are:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n