A Window Into the Brain: Retinal Imaging and Alzheimer's | Tomorrow's Cure Season 5 Episode 2

What if one of the earliest clues to Alzheimer’s disease could be found during a routine eye exam? In this episode of Tomorrow’s Cure, host Lindsey Seavert sits down with Dr. Oana Dumitrascu, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic, and Dr. Yalin Wang, a researcher at Arizona State University, to explore how retinal imaging and artificial intelligence may help identify signs of Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear. Together, they discuss the science behind “seeing the brain through the eye,” how AI can detect patterns invisible to the human eye, and why earlier detection could transform research, prevention, and patient care. 02:15 Why Early Detection Changes Everything 06:00 How the Retina Reveals Brain Health 15:30 Building an AI System to Analyze Retinal Images 22:00 Bringing Brain Health Screening to Rural Communities 27:30 What AI Is Actually Seeing in the Retina 40:00 Beyond Alzheimer’s: The Future of Retinal Imaging 46:00 What Patients and Families Should Know Today Subscribe to Tomorrow’s Cure for conversations with the experts advancing the future of medicine, one breakthrough at a time. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as professional, medical or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified health care provider for any medical advice. The appearance of any guest does not imply an endorsement of them, their employer, or any entity they represent. The views and opinions are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mayo Clinic. Reference to any product, service or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Mayo Clinic. From Mayo Clinic to your inbox, sign-up for free: https://mayocl.in/3e71zfi Visit Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/appointmen... Like Mayo Clinic on Facebook:   / mayoclinic   Follow Mayo Clinic on Instagram:   / mayoclinic   Follow Mayo Clinic on X, formerly Twitter: https://x.com/MayoClinic Follow Mayo Clinic on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@mayoclinic