Eye Scanner Detects Molecular Aging in Humans

A study by researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) published in Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences used a specialized eye scanner to accurately evaluate spectroscopic signals from proteins in the lens of the eye in order to identify and track biological aging in living humans, reports Medical Xpress . "These lens proteins provide a permanent record of each person's life history of aging," said BUSM Professor Lee E. Goldstein. "Our eye scanner can decode this record of how a person is aging at the molecular level." The researchers think these findings could clear a path for a potentially revolutionary clinical tool for objective assessment and tracking of molecular aging in humans. Large test batteries incorporating composite metrics can track human aging, but they are far removed from underlying molecular processes of aging and are poorly suited for personalized longitudinal healthcare. "The framework for clinical implementation of this technology to measure molecular aging is similar to other recently adopted clinical biomarkers, including positron emission tomography brain imaging for Alzheimer's disease, bone densitometry for osteoporosis, and serum blood tests for diabetes mellitus," said Goldstein.