"Second, since there are no available early detection techniques, drugs currently cannot be tested to determine if they are effective against early Alzheimer's disease. An early diagnostic tool like ours could help the development of drugs as well," Vince explained. "We saw changes in the retinas of Alzheimer's mice before the typical age at which neurological signs are observed," said More. "First, effective treatments need to be administered well before patients show actual neurological signs," one of the study authors Robert Vince from University of Minnesota noted. Scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have discovered that eyes could help them see progression of Alzheimer's disease even before the onset of symptoms.The research may help overcome a major roadblock in the development of therapies for the brain disorder characterised by memory impairment.Looking through the eye to see the brain is a key advantage of the new technology.

Source: Times of India July 12, 2016 07:52 UTC