The eye: A window into brain health

Over the past four years, Dr Santiago Diaz Torres has been investigating a fascinating question: Can the eye reveal early signs of brain disease?

The retina, which lines the back of the eye, originates from the same embryonic tissue as the brain. This shared origin means that changes in retinal structure might reflect what’s happening in the central nervous system—potentially long before clinical symptoms appear.

By combining high-resolution retinal imaging with large-scale genetic analyses, Dr Torres and the team have discovered:

• Retinal thinning as a warning sign: Specific retinal layers become thinner in individuals with a higher genetic risk for glaucoma and Parkinson’s disease.
• Mirror of brain changes: These retinal alterations resemble structural changes in brain regions known to degenerate in these conditions.
• Shared biological pathways: The study identified molecular links between retinal morphology and neurodegenerative mechanisms, suggesting the retina captures signals relevant to brain vulnerability.

Neurodegenerative diseases—such as dementia and Parkinson’s—are chronic, progressive, and irreversible. Detecting risk early is critical. This research suggests that retinal imaging, combined with genetic data, could become a practical tool for identifying individuals at risk before symptoms emerge.