Down syndrome: identifying signs of dementia in the eye before symptoms develop

Scientists from Queen’s University Belfast have used ultrawide-field imaging in patients with Down syndrome to identify early signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the eye.

Writing in Alzheimer's & Dementia, the researchers outlined how they performed ultra-widefield and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging in 24 people with Down syndrome and 17 people without Down syndrome. Both groups of study participants were between the ages of 27 and 53.

They found that retinal and choroidal vascular changes are present in adults with Down syndrome before the clinical onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Joint principal investigator, Dr Lajos Csincsik, highlighted: “These exciting research results suggest eye imaging can help detect and monitor Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome, potentially enabling earlier diagnosis, treatment interventions, and an easier way to track its progression.”

Clinical ophthalmology study lead, Professor Tunde Peto, highlighted that ocular imaging is quick, simple and cheaper than other methods for identifying Alzheimer’s disease, such as brain scans.

“There are huge benefits to both professionals and patients,” she said.

Alzheimer’s Society associate director of research and innovation, Dr Richard Oakley, highlighted that dementia has a “devastating impact” on families, the healthcare system and the economy.

“People with Down syndrome have a greater risk of developing dementia, and earlier than people without the condition, so this is an encouraging study suggesting we could use the eye as a window to the brain and identify the early warning signs that someone with Down syndrome may go on to develop dementia,” he said.