Alzheimer Disease
Conditions
Brief summary
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) affects tens of millions of people just in Europe. It is typically detected in its late stage when irreversible damage has already occurred, and current treatments are mostly conservative or palliative. Here we developed a device performing high-resolution multispectral imaging of the eye fundus to detect AD in its early stage. After clinical testing, the proposed device has a high potential to become a method for routine population screening, as it is non-invasive and affordable. The possibility of AD detection in an early stage is crucial for developing a new pharmaceutical treatment that would dramatically improve the lives of millions and save the expenses connected to lifelong healthcare assistance to people with AD in later stages.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTFundoscopic Exam
visualization of the retina using an ophthalmoscope
Sponsors
I.R.C.C.S. Fondazione Santa Lucia
Study design
Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
55 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* 55 years or older * Diagnosis: 1. For AD group: Clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (mild to moderate stage) based on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score between 10-26 and confirmed by PET imaging or CSF. 2. For Control group: No diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or other neurodegenerative disorders. * Signed informed consent by the patient. If there are any doubts that the patient is mentally capable of giving informed consent, the patient will be examined and verified to be mentally capable by an independent physician/ neurologist, prior to the initiation of any study specific procedure
Exclusion criteria
* Severe cognitive impairment (MMSE \<10) preventing cooperation during the imaging process. * Inability to remain still during the fundus imaging procedure.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Validation of Multispectral Fundus Imaging for Alzheimer's Disease Detection | Baseline | Create an automatic AD detection model using advanced data processing, such as machine learning, that would be able to distinguish between AD and a healthy retina. |
Countries
Italy
Contacts
Primary ContactFrancesco Di Lorenzo, Dott
Outcome results
None listed