Research presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology annual meeting reveals a connection between mitochondrial eye diseases and dementia risk. The first human study of its kind found patients with ocular mitochondrial disease face five times the risk of developing dementia compared to healthy controls.

Led by final-year medical student Viha Vig from New Zealand, the retrospective cohort study examined relationships between mitochondrial diseases and various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. Patients with systemic mitochondrial disease showed three times higher risk, while those with both ocular and systemic conditions faced seven times the risk.

Significantly, patients with mitochondrial diseases developed dementia at younger ages than typical onset around 65, spending more of their lives affected by cognitive decline.

The findings suggest mitochondrial dysfunction could serve as an early biomarker for dementia risk. Researchers propose using retinal imaging techniques to monitor brain pathology noninvasively, as the retina and brain share embryological origins, offering a potentially cost-effective screening approach.

Reference available at mivision.com.au.