OCT and Neurodegeneration of Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease (abstract)

Given that post-mortem human and animal histopathological studies reveal that degeneration of the inner retina occurs in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the retina is being investigated as a potential biomarker for AD and PD. Dramatic changes in our understanding of AD and PD, the two most common and devastating neurodegenerative diseases of aging, have occurred in the last two decades. The major driver of recent advancements is the recognition of the impending health care crisis that will occur mid-century as the population continues to age and no disease-modifying treatments become available for AD and PD.