Funding from MD-Based American Health Assistance Foundation Leads To Potential Eye Test for Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease

CLARKSBURG, MD.-A team of researchers, led by Lee Goldstein at Boston University School of Medicine and the Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Center, announced today findings that could lead to an eye test for early detection of Alzheimer's disease, a discovery in part made possible through a grant from the American Health Assistance Foundation.

"We are extremely excited about the potential these findings hold for the treatment of Alzheimer's. For those of us who support research into the causes, treatment and cures of age-related diseases, this is a major leap toward the creation of a simple, non-invasive diagnostic device your doctor can use to detect Alzheimer's disease," said AHAF President and CEO Stacy Haller.

The research team discovered that the protein that forms plaques in the brain in Alzheimer's disease also accumulates in the eyes of people with Down syndrome. The new findings in Down syndrome show that the toxic protein, known as amyloid-β, that causes Alzheimer's pathology in the brain also leads to distinctive cataracts in the eyes. The findings could lead to an eye test for the early detection of Alzheimer's pathology in both disorders.

About the American Health Assistance Foundation:

AHAF is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding cures for age-related and degenerative diseases by funding research worldwide on Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration and glaucoma. AHAF also provides the public with free information about these diseases, including risk factors, preventative lifestyles, available treatments and coping strategies.