Development of Methods for the Real-Time and Rapid Identification and Detection of TSE in Living Animals Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy of the Eye

摘要

Our investigations continue to suggest that the most promising part of the eye for revealing spectroscopic signatures of neurological disease is the retina. Our experiments have so far been limited to sheep. Our experiments have been designed to address the following questions: (1) Can ocular spectra be diagnostic of neurological disease; (2) Can the effects of neurological disease be separated from those associated with normal aging; (3) Can images of the eye be obtained that report on neurological disease. Our results indicate that we can answer all three questions in the affirmative. Enormous progress has been made since the inception of this work. We are continuing to search funding for its continuation and are currently implementing methods to make the scanning process more rapid.