Researchers Identify Visual System Changes That May Signal Parkinson's Disease

Researchers used an MRI technique called diffusion weighted imaging to assess white matter changes and voxel-based morphometry to investigate concentration changes of brain’s gray and white matter

Changes in the visual sys-tems of newly diag-nosed Parkinson’s disease patients may provide important biomarkers for the early detection and monitoring of the disease, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology.

“Just as the eye is a window into the body, the visual system is a window into brain disorders,” said lead researcher Dr Alessandro Arrigo, a resident in ophthalmology at the University Vita-Salute San Raffaele of Milan, Italy.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition caused by neuronal loss in several brain structures. Parkinson’s disease is characterised by tremors, rigidity or stiffness throughout the body, and impaired balance and coordination.