Visual system changes could signal Parkinson’s disease

A study, published in the online medical journal ‘Radiology’, has found that changes in visual systems may signal the early development of Parkinson’s.

The study focused on 20 newly diagnosed patients who had not yet been treated for Parkinson’s. Researchers found significant abnormalities within the visual system of the participants.

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

“The study of visual systems may provide sensitive markers of Parkinson’s disease. Visual processing metrics may prove helpful in differentiating Parkinsonism disorders, following disease progression, and monitoring patient response to drug treatment.”

Dr Arrigo added that more studies were necessary to gain a better understanding of visual systems and their relationship to Parkinson’s.