Researchers are investigating whether a simple eye test could be used to identify the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
A three-year £1.1 million project will look at whether warning signs can be detected using special computer software to analyse high-definition images of the eye.
Evidence suggests that changes in the patterns of ocular veins and arteries can be linked to other disease such as stroke and cardiovascular disease.
A team at the University of Dundee's school of computing have developed the software - known as Vampire - with colleagues at the University of Edinburgh.
Project co-ordinator Emanuele Trucco, professor of computational vision at the University of Dundee, said: "If you can look into someone's eyes using an inexpensive machine and discover something which may suggest a risk of developing dementia, then that's a very interesting proposition.
"There is the promise of early warning in a non-invasive way and there is also the fact that we even might be able to use the test to differentiate between different types of dementia."
10 Symptoms For Alzheimer's
Misplacing things (01 of16)
Open Image ModalPeople with Alzheimer's may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and also accuse others of stealing. This may become more and more frequent. (credit:Cavan Images via Getty Images)
Finding it difficult to complete home tasks (02 of16)
Open Image ModalConfusion with time or places.(03 of16)
Open Image ModalProblems with speaking or writing (04 of16)
Open Image ModalFinding it hard to read and understand visual images.(05 of16)
Open Image ModalSolving problems.(06 of16)
Open Image ModalWithdrawel from social activities.(07 of16)
Open Image ModalSomeone with Alzheimer's may remove themselves from certain hobbies/interests and social activities. (credit:Ryan McVay via Getty Images)
Memory Loss (08 of16)
Open Image ModalMood changes.(09 of16)
Open Image ModalDecreased or poor judgment.(10 of16)
Open Image ModalTips for Staying In Touch With Alzheimer's Sufferers(11 of16)
Open Image ModalBest not call after dark(12 of16)
Open Image ModalMany people with Alzheimer’s experience sundowning, or increased confusion and anxiety as evening approaches. For the best chance at communicating, call between mid-morning and mid-afternoon, recommends Lori Fleming, cognitive educator at Friends Fellowship Community in Richmond, Ind. “The evenings and early mornings are not good because their minds get wired up throughout the evening and, occasionally, it causes people with sundowners to kind of stay up really late,” says Fleming. (credit:Shutterstock)
But absolutely make the call(13 of16)
Open Image ModalRegular communication is the most crucial and valuable component in keeping the relationship ongoing and strong. During conversations, keep the sentences and dialogue short and simple. Keep the call itself short, too. “Little two-, three- and four-minute phone calls are probably better than 15-minute phone calls,” says Angela Lunde, dementia education specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. (credit:Shutterstock)
Who is this?(14 of16)
Open Image ModalDon’t pressure the loved one with Alzheimer’s to recognize you. Simply say who you are and why you’re calling. You might be tempted to ask the Alzheimer’s sufferer if they know with whom they’re speaking. Don’t. This question can cause discomfort and anxiety. If they don’t make the connection, just continue talking to them. (credit:Shutterstock)
No harm in a little lie(15 of16)
Open Image ModalFamily members will often notice that their relative suffering from Alzheimer’s is saying things that obviously aren’t grounded in reality. Don’t correct them. "In Grandpa’s eyes, it’s his life, his story, and that’s his reality in that moment,” explains Lunde. Going along with the incorrect stories isn’t contributing to “Grandpa’s” delusions or supporting his “lies.” In her support groups, Lunde doesn’t use the word “lying;” instead, she and the group members call it “therapeutical fibbing.” (credit:Shutterstock)
Letters are touchable memories(16 of16)
Open Image ModalLong-distance family members shouldn’t overlook snail mail. Loved ones with Alzheimer’s respond extremely well to letters and cards because they can read and look at them every day. “They’re a constant reminder that they have a connection to somebody, and that’s what I think makes it probably even more valuable than a phone call,” says Lunde. (credit:Shutterstock)
Researchers will compare measurements of thousands of images with medical histories stored at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital to see if a relationship can be established.
Mr Trucco said: "When changes occur in some parts of the body, you can see differences in the retinal vessels, e.g. in width, some vessels become thinner; some become larger; differences in the tortuosity, or how wriggly the vessels become; there are also differences in the angles when vessels split in two.
"These measurements can indicate a huge amount but to take them by hand is an extremely time-consuming, tedious process.
"The Vampire software interface allows researchers to take these measures repeatedly, reliably, and efficiently even when working with a large number of images."
The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) has funded the project as part an £8 million investment in research at 11 UK universities.
Professor Philip Nelson, EPSRC's chief executive, said, "The UK faces a huge challenge over the coming decades, we have an ageing population and a likely rise in the numbers of people suffering from dementias.
"These research projects will improve our abilities to detect and understand dementias and how the disease progresses."