New Studies on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Eyes

Studies continue to show strong connections between eye health and brain diseases, with the retina offering a “window” to the brain for early detection and monitoring of conditions. Early signs of diseases that can appear in the eyes include Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson’s. Changes in retinal nerve fiber, pupil dilation, and even protein deposits in the eye, such as amyloid beta, can mirror changes occurring in the brain, providing potential non-invasive diagnostic tools and insights into disease progression.

The eye is, in many ways, an outpost of the brain. They share similar types of nerve cells, blood vessel patterns, and immune defenses. Uniquely, the eye lets clinicians look directly at living nerve tissue and tiny blood vessels—no incision required. That makes it a powerful early-warning system for health changes. As imaging technology advances, we are spotting signs of disease earlier and with greater precision. And with today’s data-rich eye scans, artificial intelligence is beginning to help identify subtle patterns that humans might miss, potentially improving detection and guiding care sooner. ^{1 2}

The Retina as a Window: Research

Research on Alzheimer’s Disease is particularly focused on changes that occur in the inner retina ganglion cells, ³ in particular, a type of retinal ganglion cell that is intrinsically photosensitive. This research extends the team’s earlier findings that, in donors with Alzheimer’s disease, post-mortem retinal tissue shows loss or abnormalities in retinal ganglion cells that contain melanopsin.

The study reports several Alzheimer’s-related biological similarities, noting that the retina shows many of the same changes seen in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. These include protein abnormalities—such as plaques; amyloid-beta fibrils, protofibrils, and oligomers; vascular amyloid-beta deposits; and phosphorylated tau—alongside inflammation, loss of pericytes, and ongoing neurodegeneration. ^{4 5}

In this proof-of-concept work, researchers examined the front of the eye, assessing corneal dendritic cells in healthy controls, individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and those with Alzheimer’s disease. ⁶ They observed morphological changes—most notably, people with mild cognitive impairment showed dendritic cells with expanded field area and greater perimeter compared with controls.

Vascular Disease and Dementia

Dementia is increasingly viewed as not purely neurological but also partly vascular in nature. Problems affecting the brain’s small blood vessels—cerebral small vessel disease—can contribute to conditions such as dementia, cognitive decline, and stroke. This correlates strongly with eye diseases, including macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, and, potentially, glaucoma and cataracts.

Research suggests that reduced retinal vessel density seen alongside cerebral small vessel disease is linked to worsening cognitive function. ^{7 8 9}

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic patients, as compared to those without diabetes, exhibited significantly increased variability in their dynamic cerebral activity imaging measure in the visual cortex, cerebellum and parahippocampal gyrus, ultimately meaning poorer brain function.

Parkinson’s Disease (PD)

Following Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurological disorder. People with Parkinson’s showed declines in several aspects of vision—visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and color perception—as well as difficulties with more complex visual processing tasks. ¹⁰ This very well may be related to changes in retinal manifestations of dopamine, alpha-synuclein and mitochondrial dysfunction.

New Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) Research

A new study concludes that green tea and nicotinamide (a type of Vitamin B3) provide brain energy.¹¹ It may offer a new path to treating age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s Disease. These nutrients were found to boost the energy molecule guanosine triphosphate (GTP), essential for cleaning up dead cells, including beta amyloid. The build-up of beta amyloid plaque is connected to Alzheimer’s Disease. The lack of GTP has been identified in the past as a contributing factor to Alzheimer’s Disease.

Green Tea Study

Green tea contains powerful antioxidants, including epigallocatechin gallate. A study linked green tea with fewer white matter lesions in the brain, and in turn, reduced the risk of dementia. Nicotinamide has also been linked to protecting neurons from damage due to stroke and neurodegeneration. ¹²

Good Food Sources: Nicotinamide is found in fish, nuts, legumes, eggs, and certain enhanced cereals.

In another recent study, eating a healthy diet including lots of vegetables (particularly the green, leafy types), nuts, berries and olive oil, cuts the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease for those born with the genetic risk factors. ¹³

Numerous studies have found that eating a Mediterranean-style diet—abundant in fatty fish, legumes, and nuts—is linked to a lower risk of dementia and better overall brain health.

Altered Gut Immune System Provides New Target For Alzheimer’s Therapy

A new mouse study shows that immune cells travel along the brain/gut axis, bringing again into the light the relationship between the gut immune system and neurodegenerative disease. The impact can be related to brain diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Multiple Sclerosis, for example.

This study found that specific antibody-producing cells, normally responsible for keeping the microbiome and the gut immune system in balance and harmony, were reduced in this study. The study found that these immune cells in the brain border, which recognize bacteria living in the intestines, were accumulating in the Alzheimer’s Disease brain, ¹⁴ again showing the strong connection between the gut and brain to support healthy function.

In a recent study, women with Alzheimer’s had lower levels of omega-3s, and there was no difference in men. The findings suggest omega-3s may uniquely protect women’s brains. ¹⁵

Targeted Foods and Nutrients for Brain and Eye Health

Best foods include all berries, green, leafy vegetables, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, nuts, and pomegranate juice.

Herbs and antioxidants for brain health and vision health include: Bacoba Manieri, astaxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, baicalein, citicoline, curcumin, omega-3 fatty acids, glutathione, ginseng, gingko biloba, grapeseed extract, nattokinase, olive leaf extract, PQQ, CoQ10 (UBQH), resveratrol, saffron, taurine, and B-Complex.

Good Food Sources for Omega-3: Fish, including salmon, sardines, and anchovies, oysters, walnuts, seeds such as flax, chia, and hemp seed, soybeans, caviar, vegetables such as spinach, Brussels sprouts, and purslane, eggs, and, to some extent, avocados.

Weight Gain in Seniors

Adults over 65 years of age whose weight fluctuates more than 5% may experience faster cognitive decline, based on an 11-year study of data analysis. ¹⁶

Diet Soda and Brain Aging

A new study done in Brazil concluded that the highest amount of intake of artificial sweeteners resulted in “significantly faster declines” in thinking and memory skills. The highest consuming group lost approximately 1.6 years in extra brain aging, with a 62% faster decline. The highest risk came from younger adults (below 60) and diabetic patients. ¹⁷

Breathwork and Mood

Intensive breathing exercises while listening to music have been associated with feelings of bliss and reduced negative emotions, along with increased blood flow to the emotion-processing parts of the brain. ¹⁸

Suggested Supplements

Dr. Grossman’s Complete Eye Formula 2oz (oral spray) – comprehensive combination of easily absorbed eye nutrients

Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula (whole food) 60 vcaps

Dr. Grossman’s Advanced Eye and Dr. G’s Whole Food Superfood Multi1 20 Vcap Combo – 2 months supply

ReVision Formula (wild-crafted herbal formula) 2 oz – based on classic Chinese medicine Liver tonic formula to help support healthy circulation and blood flow throughout the eyes and body.

Dr. Grossman’s Blood Vessel Control Formula 2oz – helps reduce the risk of unwanted blood vessel growth, reduces inflammation, improves circulation, strengthens bones and Liver health, stimulates mental activity, and more.

Dr. Grossman’s Bilberry/Ginkgo Combination 2oz (60ml) – helps strengthen blood vessels and capillaries, and supports healthy circulation.

Age-Less Formula 2oz

Nitric Oxide Supplement – helps promote increased oxygen through the body and eyes.

NMN Wonderfeel Capsul 60 vegcaps

Packages

Age-less Eye and Body Package

Brain and Memory Support Package 1

AMD Package 1 (3-month supply)

Mitochondria Eye Brain Support Package