Home Health The £20 health check that could soon detect signs of Alzheimer’s before symptoms appear

The £20 health check that could soon detect signs of Alzheimer’s before symptoms appear

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A routine eye exam could soon tell you your risk for Alzheimer's disease, which robs you of your memory.

A routine eye exam could soon reveal your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a memory-robbing disease.

Scottish scientists are analyzing a million scans taken by leading opticians and tracking changes in the eye tissue of 100,000 elderly patients.

It aims to track small changes in the retina of the eye that occur over time and could detect the first signs of Alzheimer’s years before symptoms develop.

Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of dementia and, although it is not curable, early diagnosis is considered essential for better outcomes, as treatments can combat symptoms and slow progression.

Professor Baljean Dhillon, an expert in clinical ophthalmology at the University of Edinburgh, said the deep blood vessels in the eyes have a direct connection to the brain.

“We know that there are signals in the eye, some subtle, some not so subtle, that report a wide range of brain changes, from Alzheimer’s to vascular dementia, Parkinson’s and stroke,” he told The Times.

‘The eyes are the part of the brain that protrudes from your face.

“But unlike the brain, we can see the retina with simple, inexpensive equipment found on every high street in the UK and beyond.”

A routine eye exam could soon tell you your risk for Alzheimer’s disease, which robs you of your memory.

While previous studies have suggested that eye scans could be used to track cognitive decline, which can be a precursor to dementia, the trials have been small, involving hundreds of patients at most.

But the new project, called NeurEye, includes 100,000 patients and tracks their scans to any eventual diagnosis of dementia, resulting in more robust data.

David Thomas, of the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK, warned that the test would only tell a patient their potential risk of the disorder, not a definitive diagnosis.

But he added that even this was an interesting possibility that addressed a “historical challenge” in assessing people’s Alzheimer’s risk.

“The idea of ​​something as non-invasive and scalable as an eye scanner is exciting. “You can see the possibility that someone comes in for a routine exam, is found to be at risk, and is referred directly to a memory clinic,” he said.

Dr Dave Powell, chief scientific officer at LifeArc, a collaborator on the NeurEye project, said the UK’s ability to link data such as eye scans to diagnostic data in the NHS gave Britain an advantage in this type of research.

“The UK, with its single healthcare provider, is well placed to become a world leader in the development of new tests using health data,” he said.

A recent analysis by the Alzheimer’s Society estimated that the total annual cost of dementia in the UK is £42 billion a year, with families hardest hit.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short-term memory loss.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short-term memory loss.

It is currently believed that around 900,000 Britons suffer from this memory-robbing disorder. But scientists at University College London estimate this figure will rise to 1.7 million within two decades as people live longer. It marks a 40 percent increase from the previous forecast in 2017.

It is currently believed that around 900,000 Britons suffer from this memory-robbing disorder. But scientists at University College London estimate this figure will rise to 1.7 million within two decades as people live longer. It marks a 40 percent increase from the previous forecast in 2017.

An aging population means these costs – which include lost income from unpaid carers – will soar to £90 billion over the next 15 years.

Around 944,000 people in the UK are thought to be living with dementia, while in the US the figure is around 7 million.

Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties, and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time.

A separate analysis by Alzheimer’s Research UK found that 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared to 69,178 the previous year, making it the biggest cause of death in the country.

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