Sydney, July 28 - A new MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner is helping to advance understanding of Alzheimer's disease by measuring how the brain works in relation to eye movements.

Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia.

The research being undertaken by the Van der Veer Institute, University of Otago-Christchurch in New Zealand, is among the first to use a new brain scanning technique (arterial spin labelling) which measures the extent of blood flow into different areas of the brain.

The study is also investigating which areas of the brain are activated with fast eye movements. People with Alzheimer's have different eye movements to those who do not

have the disease.

The MRI scanner magnetically 'tags' the blood as it flows up through the neck.