Detection of retinal and blood Aβ oligomers with nanobodies.

Introduction: Abnormal retinal changes are increasingly recognized as an early pathological change in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although amyloid beta oligomers (Aβo) have been shown to accumulate in the blood and retina of AD patients and animals, it is not known whether the early Aβo deposition precedes their accumulation in brain.

Methods And Results: Using nanobodies targeting Aβ and Aβ oligomers we were able to detect Aβ oligomers in the retina and blood but not in the brain of 3-month-old APP/PS1 mice.

Association of corneal nerve fiber measures with cognitive function in dementia.

Objectives: Corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) is a noninvasive ophthalmic technique that identifies corneal nerve degeneration in a range of peripheral neuropathies and in patients with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We sought to determine whether there is any association of corneal nerve fiber measures with cognitive function and functional independence in patients with MCI and dementia.

Methods: In this study, 76 nondiabetic participants with MCI ( = 30), dementia ( = 26), and healthy age-matched controls ( = 20) underwent assessment of cognitive and physical function and CCM.