Eye scans can detect early Parkinson's signs, years ahead of symptoms: Study

The human eye, a marvel of biological engineering, serves as a unique portal to peekinto the intricacies of the central nervous system. Through a pioneering approach, scientists have unearthed the potential to detect early indicators of Parkinson's disease, unveiling a new dimension in early diagnosis, up to seven years before symptoms manifest.

The power of 3D eye scans

This groundbreaking findingrevolves around three-dimensional eye scans, routinely employed by optometrists to assess the condition of the retina, a layer of nerve cells nestled at the back of the eye, as per Science Alert.

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What remained veiled until recently is that these scans house subtle cues pertaining to both bodily and cerebral health.

Over the past decade, researchers have embarked on an ambitious quest to harness this data for diagnosing neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and schizophrenia, thus giving birth to the emerging realm of 'oculomics'.

Within this realm, Parkinson's, a perplexing nervous system disorder with an elusive etiology and cure, stands as a prominent contender.

Pioneering research on retinal imaging

Pearse Keane, a professor of artificial medical intelligence at University College London and Moorfields eye hospital, said: “The eye is the only part of the body where you can directly visualise the microvascular circulation [the flow of blood through the tiniest vessels]. If you have changes in your blood or cardiovascular system, those changes may be manifested in the retinal blood vessel.”

In a monumental effort, collaborators from various UK hospitals have orchestrated the largest study to date on retinal imaging for Parkinson's disease. Previously, scientists had observed anomalies in the retinas of deceased Parkinson's patients, but the applicability of these changes in a living context remained elusive. The latest findings, however, suggest otherwise, offering a potential window into the disease's onset and progression.

AI's role

Harnessing the capabilities of artificial intelligence, researchers scrutinised eye scans from a staggering 154,830 patients aged 40 and above.

Within this cohort, 700 individuals afflicted with Parkinson's exhibited subtle yet statistically significant variations in their retinal appearance.

A notable thinning in the inner ganglion cell layer, responsible for transmitting visual information via dopamine, stood out in specific regions.

This discoveryserved as a critical clue in the examination of eye scans from the UK Biobank database, which encompassed 67,311 individuals, including 53 diagnosed with Parkinson's during the study.

Early indicators in the eye

The research highlighted thatthe thinning of the inner ganglion cell layer can manifest in the early stages of Parkinson's, preceding the emergence of clinical symptoms.

This discovery lends support to earlier observations of ganglion thinning in individuals afflicted with Parkinson's and strengthens the premise that ocular changes can be among the earliest manifestations of the disease.

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