PARIS — Scientists in Australia are reporting encouraging early results from a simple eye test they hope will give a noninvasive way to detect signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Although it has been tried on only a small number of people and more research is needed, the experimental test has a solid basis: Alzheimer’s is known to cause changes in the eyes, not just the brain. Scientists in the United States also are working on an eye test for detecting the disease.
A separate study found that falls might be an early warning sign of Alzheimer’s. People who seemed to have healthy minds but who were discovered to have hidden plaques clogging their brains were five times more likely to fall during the study than those without these brain deposits, which are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.
Both studies were discussed Sunday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in France.
Know the signs
Warning signs of Alzheimer’s include:
• Memory loss that disrupts daily life
• Trouble planning or solving problems
• Difficulty completing tasks
• Confusion with time or place
• Trouble understanding images and spatial relationships
• New problems with speaking or writing words
• Misplacing things and inability to retrace steps
• Decreased or poor judgment
• Social withdrawal
• Changes in mood or personality
