AI Article Synopsis

  • Alzheimer's disease is marked by the buildup of amyloid-beta and tau proteins, leading to a need for early diagnostic tools to detect the disease before symptoms manifest.
  • Current diagnostic methods like PET imaging and CSF analysis are limited by cost and invasiveness, prompting a push for more accessible and non-invasive options.
  • The retina, being part of the central nervous system, may provide valuable insights, as changes in the retina can reflect Alzheimer's-related neurodegeneration, making it a potential source for new biomarkers.

Article Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease pathologically characterized by accumulation of abnormal amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau proteins. Research is currently focused on developing treatments to reduce the risk of developing or inhibiting disease progression. Therefore, there is a need to identify diagnostic tools for the initial stages of the disease. The neuropathological processes in Alzheimer's disease exist several decades before symptoms appear and can be identified by PET imaging or CSF analysis. Still, these methods are limited in availability and may be expensive and invasive, and there is therefore a need to develop accessible, inexpensive and non-invasive diagnostic tools. The retina is a component of the central nervous system. Changes in the retina can reflect the cerebral pathological process in Alzheimer's disease. Indeed, evidence of Aβ plaques and abnormal tau proteins in the retina of Alzheimer's patients has been reported. The advantage of the retina is its accessibility for direct visualization by existing and non-invasive means. The following review will examine retinal changes that are suggested as possible biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease and discuss directions for future research in the field.

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