- Alzheimer’s and retina: the part of the body that can reveal early signs
- Microglia, retina and Alzheimer’s: what the research revealed
He Alzheimer It is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases in older adults and represents a growing challenge for health systems. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), concentrates between the 60% and the 70% of the cases of dementia globally, a figure that reflects its strong social and health impact.
It is a progressive and irreversible brain disorder that gradually deteriorates memory, thinking and other essential cognitive functions. As the disease progresses, affected people see even their ability to carry out simple daily activities altered, which increases dependency and profoundly modifies family life.
One of the biggest challenges of Alzheimer is that its first signs appear slowly and almost imperceptibly. This silent evolution makes it difficult for the environment to detect the disease in time, which makes it key to identify early signs and possible biological indicators before the damage is advanced.
In this context, the scientific community continually explores new ways to anticipate the diagnosis, and a part of the body began to focus the attention of researchers due to its direct link with the nervous system.
Alzheimer’s and retina: the part of the body that can reveal early signs
A multidisciplinary team led by Ramón Castroviejo Ophthalmological Research Institute of the Complutense University of Madrid provided new evidence that points to the retina as a possible early indicator of Alzheimer. The finding is part of a line of research that is still experimental, but is projected as a possible diagnosis in the future.
The study, published in Frontiers in Aging Neurosciencehad the collaboration of institutions from Spain and Japan, including the Carlos III University of Madridwhich developed the analysis software, and specialized centers that provided animal models. The objective was to analyze whether the retina reflects alterations associated with the early development of the disease.
Microglia, retina and Alzheimer’s: what the research revealed
The analysis focused on microglia, key cells of the immune system of the central nervous system, which are linked to processes of neuroinflammation. Using cell labeling techniques and an automated image analysis system, the researchers detected morphological changes in these cells within the retinal tissue.
As explained by the authors of the work, these changes would indicate an early activation of the immune response. The retina, since it can be examined with non-invasive techniques, thus emerges as an accessible window to observe neurodegenerative processes in early stages of Alzheimer’s.
Although the results are promising, specialists clarify that this is a study in animal models and that it is still necessary to validate the findings in humans. Even so, the research reinforces a key hypothesis: the retina could become a complementary tool for early detection of one of the most complex diseases of aging.
