Window to the Central Nervous System - Advanced Retinal Imaging for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

More than a century has passed since the first case of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was described, but unfortunately establishing a probable clinical diagnosis still remains a challenge, and is often a long process of excluding other possible causes of dementia. There is a demand for an accurate, accessible, and preferably non-invasive tool for more timely and effective diagnosis. The eyes, especially retina and optic nerve have received considerable attention in recent years with advanced digital imaging as a route for researchers to catch a glimpse of the central nervous system (CNS) in vivo. In this commentary, we aim to firstly, describe current diagnostic protocols for AD, and secondly, discuss the technology, specificity, and current research surrounding retinal imaging for AD diagnosis.