Health UK (Commonwealth Union) – A research team from the University College London (UCL) and Moorfields Eye Hospital has successfully identified indicators that signal the presence of Parkinson’s disease in patients, an average of seven years prior to their clinical presentation. This groundbreaking discovery, published in the medical journal Neurology®, is a result of the most extensive study to date on retinal imaging in Parkinson’s disease.
Researchers utilized artificial intelligence (AI); the study examined eye scans to pinpoint markers of Parkinson’s disease. This investigation initially analyzed the AlzEye dataset and then replicated the findings using the broader UK Biobank database, which consisted of data from healthy volunteers. This dual-dataset approach enabled the researchers to identify subtle markers despite the relatively low prevalence of Parkinson’s disease (0.1-0.2% of the population). The creation of the AlzEye dataset was facilitated by INSIGHT, the world’s largest repository of retinal images and correlated clinical information.
This study is a significant achievement, as it marks the first time that such findings have been unveiled years before an official diagnosis. Prior to this, the application of eye scans had revealed indications of other neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and, more recently, schizophrenia, within the burgeoning field of “oculomics.”
Beyond neurodegenerative conditions, eye scans and ocular data have also demonstrated the potential to predict conditions such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases including strokes, and diabetes.
The researchers indicated that the concept that the eyes serve as a window into the broader state of health has long been recognized by medical professionals. High-resolution retinal images, particularly those obtained through a 3D scanning method called ‘optical coherence tomography’ (OCT), have become routine in eye care settings, including clinics and optometry practices. In under a minute, an OCT scan generates an incredibly detailed cross-sectional view of the retina (located at the back of the eye), with precision down to a thousandth of a millimeter.
While these images are valuable for monitoring eye health, their utility extends far beyond that. Retinal scans offer a non-intrusive means to visualize cellular layers beneath the skin’s surface. In recent years, researchers have harnessed the power of advanced computing to analyze vast numbers of OCT scans and other eye images in a fraction of the time a human would require. Leveraging a form of AI known as ‘machine learning,’ computers can now extract hidden insights about overall health exclusively from these images. This burgeoning field of research, known as oculomics, is centered on tapping into this newfound potential.
The lead author Dr Siegfried Wagner of UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, who is a principal investigator of several other AlzEye studies as well, indicayed that he continues to be amazed by what is possible for them to find via eye scans. While they are not yet prepared to forecast if an individual will get Parkinson’s, they hope that this technique may soon be a pre-screening tool for individuals who may be at risk of the disease.
“Finding signs of a number of diseases before symptoms emerge means that, in the future, people could have the time to make lifestyle changes to prevent some conditions arising, and clinicians could delay the onset and impact of lifechanging neurodegenerative disorders.”
Collaboration between the National Institute of Health and Social Care (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centres at various institutions, including Moorfields Eye Hospital, University Hospital Birmingham, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), Oxford University Hospital, University College Hospital London, and the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, has been integral to this endeavor. These outstanding partnerships within the NHS research framework have greatly expanded the reach and caliber of the research.
The findings of the study further highlight the significance of ophthalmology in medical research.
