Baycrest

One of the potential reasons why there is still no cure for Alzheimer's disease may be that patients are being treated too late in the illness' progression. "Early detection of dementia is important for effective treatment of the disease," says RRI Scientist, Dr. Rosanna Olsen. "However, in the majority of dementia patients, current tests are unable to detect the disease before the onset of symptoms." Dr. Olsen hopes to change this. In 2019, Dr. Olsen received $546,975 over five years from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to establish a set of new eye-tracking and brain-imaging biomarkers that will help doctors identify people at risk of Alzheimer's disease earlier. Her research will help in the development of non-invasive and cost-effective eye-tracking tests. This line of inquiry builds on Dr. Olsen's previous findings. Her team was able to identify dementia- related brain changes, even before individuals noticed any memory or thinking problems. The study was the first to measure the brain tissue within a particular sub-region where Alzheimer's disease originates (the anterolateral entorhinal cortex located in the brain's temporal lobe), among older adults with no reported memory problems. Since then, Dr. Olsen's team has worked to develop an eye-tracking task that directly relates to these brain measurements. This work has attracted the attention and support of other non-profit organizations, such as the Alzheimer Society of Canada. With the CIHR's investment, Dr. Olsen will follow-up with the participants from the previous study, as well as validate past results with a larger group of research participants. Her upcoming study will also include an expanded focus on exploring gender differences, socioeconomic status, and an individual's genetic risk. MB MONITORING THE EYES TO DETECT ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE EARLIER Dementia Research: Early Detection Dr. Rosanna Olsen 10 ROTMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE

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