OHSU Researchers Explore Eye-Drop Screening To Spot Alzheimer’s Early – KXL

PORTLAND, OR – Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University are working on a federally funded project that could turn the human eye into an early warning system for Alzheimer’s disease.

The five-year, $3.3 million award from the National Institutes of Health will support development of an experimental eye drop designed to detect a fluorescent signal from amyloid, a protein associated with Alzheimer’s. Used alongside a noninvasive retinal scanner, the approach could lead to a low-cost, widely accessible screening tool to identify the disease before symptoms appear.

“We’re looking for early-stage patients who don’t have symptoms,” said project leader Lei Wang, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at OHSU. “The goal is to develop population-level screening involving a simple eye drop and a quick scan.”

The research is funded through a National Institute on Aging program for early-stage investigators, named for the late NIH scientist Stephen I. Katz. The project is considered high-risk, high-reward, but researchers say success could improve outcomes as new Alzheimer’s treatments work best in the earliest stages of the disease.

Alzheimer’s is typically associated with amyloid-beta and tau proteins that form plaques in the brain, contributing to cognitive decline. While brain imaging can detect amyloid, the tests are costly and not practical for routine screening.

Wang’s team aims to detect amyloid through the retina, which is directly connected to the brain and can be imaged noninvasively at cellular resolution. The researchers plan to develop a fluorescence-based molecule that could be delivered as an eye drop, making amyloid visible during a retinal scan.

“The retina is a neural sensory extension of the brain,” Wang said. “If we can detect a buildup of amyloid in the retina, it may be possible to flag early-stage Alzheimer’s among patients who aren’t yet experiencing any symptoms.”

The project brings together experts in chemistry, retinal imaging and neurology. Yifan Jian, an associate professor of ophthalmology and biomedical engineering at OHSU, will refine the ultrawide field fluorescence scanning technology to safely highlight amyloid in the retina.

If successful, the screening approach could be used in ophthalmology clinics rather than specialized medical centers, expanding access in both rural and urban areas. Patients flagged through retinal screening could then be referred to neurologists for further evaluation and brain imaging.

The research will first focus on developing and testing the fluorescent agent for safety and effectiveness in mouse models. Only after that would the project move toward human clinical trials.

“The long-term vision is something that is accurate, affordable and available in many communities,” Wang said. “Not only at large academic centers.”