Alzheimer’s disease may be years before the first intellectual impairment due to a pupillary test to determine: In the case of demanding and mentally challenging tasks dilate the pupil in the case of persons with a high Alzheimer’s risk to a greater extent than in Healthy. A study by researchers from the San Diego School of Medicine at the University of California shows.
Alzheimer’s alters and damages the brain many years before symptoms occur. In order to slow down the progress, is the early detection of Alzheimer’s risk, therefore, of the utmost importance. A simple, effective and relatively pleasant method of early detection could be a pupillary test. Study leader Professor William Kremen said: "The measurement of pupillary responses in cognitive tasks could be another Screening tool to detect Alzheimer’s before symptoms occur."
The researchers had found that accumulations can find certain proteins in the brain, which lead to the progressive mental decline in Alzheimer’s disease, first in an area called the Locus Coeruleus of the pupillary reactions. From there, the dilation of the pupils is controlled in the case of cognitive tasks: The trickier the task, the more they will stretch. Previously, the researchers had observed that adults with mild mental impairment, often a precursor of Alzheimer’s disease, showed a greater pupillary response than Healthy, even if both groups achieved equivalent results. Through the connection with genetic characteristics they could improve the results still further.
ZOU