Dementia and Cataract Surgery
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a type of dementia – a neurodegenerative disease that leads to gradual memory loss and behavioral changes. It is characterized by the pathological hallmark formation of beta-amyloid plaques and the tau proteins in the brain tissues, long (almost 20 to 30 years) before the actual symptoms occur.
“This kind of evidence is as good as it gets in epidemiology. This is really exciting because no other medical intervention has shown such a strong association with lessening dementia risk in older individuals,” says Lead researcher Dr. Cecilia S Lee, associate professor and Klorfine Family Endowed Chair in ophthalmology at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
However, the study did not succeed in demonstrating the mechanisms behind cataract surgery and reduced dementia risk.
“Some special cells in the retina are associated with cognition and regulate sleep cycles, and these cells respond well to blue light. Cataracts specifically block blue light, and cataract surgery could reactivate those cells,” says Lee by pointing towards a hypothesis.
The study thereby highlights a strong link on the eye-brain connection in dementia and may help in uncovering the contribution of our senses in age-related disorders like dementia.
Source: Medindia
