Monday, July 6, 2015

Detect Early Alzheimer's Disease by Eye Movements

Alzheimer’s Disease presents a significant set of challenges to the health and well being of the U.S. population-especially as our population ages. The NIH National Institute on Aging, estimates that more than 5 million people may have Alzheimer’s Disease. It is becoming more and more critical that we find ways to detect, diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s Disease so as a society we can offer early intervention for patients and their families.


Eye Movement Research & Alzheimer’s Disease
According to researchers reporting in Investigative Ophthalmology & Vision Science a subtle change in eye movements may provide a useful diagnostic tool for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease. In general, eye movements follow a reproducible pattern during normal reading. Each eye movement ends up in a fixation point, which allows the brain to process the incoming information and to program the following movements. The researchers found that Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) produces eye movement abnormalities and disturbances in reading so that patients with early AD show abnormal fixation patterns. So we now know that evaluation of eye movement behavior during reading might provide a useful tool for a more precise early diagnosis of AD and for monitoring the progress or stability of Alzheimer’s Disease.

If you or someone you know has questions or Alzheimer’s Disease and eye movements, please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, Google+ or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.