Vision Loss and Alzheimer's Disease: The Strange Connection
Pathological changes in the visual system associated with Alzheimer's disease
Asides the deposition of beta amyloids in the lens and retina and the neurodegeneration of retinal cells, some other pathological changes have been observed in the visual system in association to Alzheimer’s disease. These are current areas of focus in research. Moreover, studies are being carried out to determine how significant these pathologic changes might be in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and in the proper monitoring of its progression. With significant progress and success in these areas of research, scientists are quite positive that a routine eye test could one day be helpful in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. 5 Some of the pathological changes in the visual system that have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease are highlighted below:
- Optic nerve degeneration
- Accumulation of lipofuscin in the lateral geniculate nucleus
- Degeneration of suprachiasmatic nucleus
- Loss of pyramidal cells in the visual cortex
- Optic disc pallor
- Optic atrophy
