New research shows that a type of eye-tracking technology may be able to identify people who are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, even years before any symptoms appear.
This could be a breakthrough in early detection and allow doctors to take action sooner.
The study used a system called ViewMind Atlas, which combines eye-tracking with software designed to monitor brain function.
By analyzing how a person’s eyes move while performing certain tasks, the system can detect very small changes in cognitive function that may be early signs of Alzheimer’s.
The research was done in partnership with the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, Universidad de Antioquia in Colombia, and the company ViewMind.
The participants in the study came from families in Colombia known to carry a rare genetic mutation that causes early-onset Alzheimer’s.
In the study, ViewMind Atlas was used to test people who had the genetic mutation. Some of them already had symptoms of the disease, while others were not yet showing any signs.
The results were impressive: the system was 100% accurate in identifying those with symptoms, and 96% accurate for those who were still symptom-free but carried the mutation.
This makes the technology more accurate than traditional cognitive tests, which often fail to detect Alzheimer’s until it is already causing noticeable memory and thinking problems.
The study was published in the journal Brain Communications and offers a potential new way to detect Alzheimer’s before it causes serious damage. This could be used as a biomarker—a kind of health signpost—for spotting the disease in its earliest stages.
Professor Mario Parra Rodriguez from the University of Strathclyde, who led the study, said most current ways of diagnosing Alzheimer’s are expensive and invasive. They often involve injecting substances into the body or taking fluid samples, and they usually need to be done in hospitals.
In contrast, the ViewMind system is non-invasive and could be used in regular doctor’s offices. It could help doctors figure out if someone’s memory problems are just a normal part of aging or an early sign of something more serious.
During the study, participants took a test called the Visual Short-Term Memory Binding Task. This involved looking at groups of objects and identifying them based on their color and shape.
As participants did the task, the system tracked their eye movements and used artificial intelligence to analyze the results. The AI used a method called Random Forest, a machine learning algorithm, to help sort people into different risk groups.
Professor Parra explained that many people who visit a doctor with memory concerns are not yet showing clear signs of dementia. This can make it hard for doctors to decide what to do next. But if a system like ViewMind Atlas can identify early warning signs, doctors could act earlier—possibly before major symptoms develop.
Although more research is needed to confirm these results, the study suggests that this new technology could become a useful tool in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. It might help people get a diagnosis earlier, when treatments are more likely to be effective.
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The study is published in Brain Communications.
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