Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia are becoming more common in older adults. The World Health Organization (WHO) It is estimated that between 5% and 8% of people over the age of 60 have dementia. So, there are several factors that cast doubt on the science. Genetics is one of the most important factors.
For the above ratio, a research team from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) phase Application Which can identify basic information about a person’s nervous functions by looking at the size of the pupil.
According to one of the largest studies to date, up to 75 genes associated with an increased risk of dementia, including 42 previously unrecorded genes, have been identified from analysis of the genomes of 100,000 people with Alzheimer’s disease and 600,000 healthy people.
In this sense, the immune system is thought to have something to do with its appearance, as it may be due to an “excessively aggressive” response from the brain’s immune cells, called microglia.
In addition, another investigation found that there is a file The link between depression and Alzheimer’s disease Because in severe cases of the first case, memory degrades more quickly.
Neurodegenerative diseases can be detected using an app
contributions Technique It improves the quality of life of people with many neurodegenerative diseases. In this particular case, It’s really easy with self-diagnosis.
Explains in release Colin Barry Main author of the article.
Therefore, pupil changes are measured by a method called pupil response test But it currently requires specialized and expensive equipment, so it is not possible outside the clinic.
The app uses a near infrared camera smart phone To detect a person’s pupil. in this way, The application can calculate height with an accuracy of less than a millimeter, comparable to the pupil scale.
Next to, Researchers have really made it accessible to people of all ages, Like older people, who are less familiar with new technologies.
This tool is currently under development to ensure that everyone can access it with a simple gesture portable devices.
How does Alzheimer’s disease affect the brain?
Scientists continue to try to understand the complex changes in the brain that occur in Alzheimer’s disease. Changes likely start in the brain A decade or more before any symptoms appear.
During this very early stage of Alzheimer’s disease, toxic changes occur in the brain, including abnormal buildups of proteins that form amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
Neurons, which were previously healthy, stop working, They lose connections with other neurons and die. Many other complex brain changes are also thought to play a role in Alzheimer’s disease.
The damage appears to occur initially in The hippocampus and the inner spinal cortex Parts of the brain are essential for forming memories. As more neurons die, other parts of the brain are affected and begin to shrink.
In the last stage of Alzheimer’s disease, The damage is extensive and brain tissue is greatly reduced.
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