Fight against Alzheimer’s gains new hope
Alzheimer’s is a dreaded disease. It is fatal, and it affects millions in the United States. The Alzheimer’s Association describes the disease as follows: “It destroys brain cells, causing memory loss, and problems with thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies, or social life. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time, and it is fatal. Today, it is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.”
The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that 5.3 million people are living in the United States with the disease. Despite it being associated as a disease for older persons, Alzheimer’s affects the lives of many students. People you know and love may be struggling with the disease, and it is painful to see someone you love struggle with memory loss due to an incurable disease.
In some cases, Alzheimer’s resembles a genetic pattern, and students may be concerned about their parents’ or their own well being if a grandparent or other relative was diagnosed with the disease. Wondering if you could inherit Alzheimer’s adds worry to a person’s life, and sometimes, they would rather not know. However, the earlier Alzheimer’s is caught, the better, because once the brain damage begins, it is more difficult to treat.
The Telegraph reports that a team of British scientists have discovered an earlier means of discovering the disease. They believe that there is a positive correlation between some types of retina damage in the eye and nerve cell damage in the brain, and by assessing the retina, you can understand more about the brain. Their testing method, supposedly quick and cheap, leads to early detection of Alzheimer’s, even before the disease has taken physical effect.
Through this early detection, patients can treat the disease early and work to stop the damage. The damage can be prevented even before Alzheimer’s has taken effect, and by treating it in this early stage, patients stand a much better chance in living longer and more comfortably. If successful, this would mark a significant step in the fight against Alzheimer’s Disease through saving millions of lives through preventative means.
Regarding this scientific breakthrough, the Daily Mail reports that the eye test could become a routine test for middle-aged persons when they visit the opticians for their annual check-up. Diagnosis could even occur twenty years before the disease takes effect. Although most LSU students are too young to find this test necessary as an annual check-up, it may be beneficial to friends and family.