Three Eye Conditions Linked to Higher Alzheimer's Risk
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Three eye diseases have been linked to an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD), results of a large, longitudinal, population-based study suggest. Glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and diabetic retinopathy (DR) were associated with a 40% to 50% increased risk for AD. Participants recently diagnosed with glaucoma had a 46% increased likelihood of developing AD. Similarly, the risk among those recently diagnosed with AMD or diabetic retinopathy had a 50% increased AD risk compared with their counterparts without these conditions.
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@riya Often referred to as "the window to the brain," the eyes provide substantial information on brain health, the investigators note. Previous research suggests glaucoma, DR, and AMD may be linked to dementia because of shared characteristics, including progressive neurodegeneration, amyloid β deposition, and chronic microvascular insults. The investigators point out that most of the earlier research examining a potential association between dementia and eye disorders have lacked large, prospective cohorts with precise dementia definitions.