Work

Developing Retinal Biomarkers of Neurological Disease: An Analytical Perspective

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: The inaccessibility of the brain poses a problem for neuroscience. Scientists have traditionally responded by developing biomarkers for brain physiology and disease. The retina is an attractive source of biomarkers since it shares many features with the brain. Some even describe the retina as a 'window' to the brain, implying that retinal signs are analogous to brain disease features. However, new analytical methods are needed to show whether or not retinal signs really are equivalent to brain abnormalities, since this requires greater evidence than direct associations between retina and brain. We, therefore propose a new way to think about, and test, how clearly one might see the brain through the retinal window, using cerebral malaria as a case study.

Source: Biomarkers in Medicine

DOI: 10.2217/bmm.15.17

Authors: Ian JC MacCormick, Gabriela Czanner, Brian Faragher

Institutions: University of Liverpool, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, University of Edinburgh, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Retinal Imaging and Analysis

Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,585