World first midlife twin study reveals simple eye test could predict dementia

L-R: Dr Chris Karayiannis, Prof Velandai Srikanth and A/Prof
 Chris Moran from the National Centre for Healthy Ageing with
study participants Paul Carton and Gerry Carton.

A world first study mapping the thickness of the layers of the retina in 18 pairs of twins at midlife has found that it could be a marker of future dementia risk.

The paper, led by Associate Professor Christopher Moran and Professor Velandai Srikanth, from the National Centre for Healthy Ageing in Australia, and published in the journal, Scientific Reports, tested 18 pairs of twins recruited from Twins Research Australia, average age of 64 years and two thirds female.

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Study links nocturnal blood pressure with diabetes and dementia

Dr Chris Karayiannis

by Anne Crawford

Monash University researchers investigating the association between Type 2 diabetes and dementia have found an interesting factor linking the diseases: the dipping of nocturnal blood pressure.

Dr Chris Karayiannis said the Peninsula Clinical School researchers were investigating the poorly understood mechanisms behind the increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia faced by people with type 2 diabetes.