Eyes could be window to predicting Alzheimer's

Previous studies have found that the eyes of people who had died from Alzheimer's showed signs of thinning in the center of the retina and deterioration of the optic nerve.

In this new study, Apte's team used a noninvasive technique called optical coherence tomography angiography to examine the thickness of the retinas and fibers in the optic nerves of 30 people, average age mid-70s, who had no symptoms of Alzheimer's.

A form of the test is available at many eye doctors in the U.S.

After the eye tests, PET scans and cerebrospinal fluid analyses revealed that about half of the study participants had elevated levels of the Alzheimer's-related proteins amyloid or tau. So, even though they didn't have any Alzheimer's symptoms, these people were likely to develop the disease.

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