The retina is considered as an extension of the central nervous system. Earlier, researches have used it as a "window into the brain".

Research team led by Nick Beare of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital studied the retina in the eye of patients with cerebral malaria to understand how an acute form of malaria attacks the brain.

The research team examined the retinas of 34 children in Malawi who were admitted to hospital with suspected cases of cerebral malaria. Researchers found tiny blood vessel blockages in the brain which they believe starve brain cells and cause the disease. They used a technique known as fluorescein angiography which is used to identify fluid leakage or blockages in the small blood vessels at the back of the eye.

They found that more than four in five of the children examined have impaired blood flow in the blood vessels of their eyes.

Study showed that three-quarters had whitening to areas of the retina where blood did not appear to reach, implying that the parasites were disrupting the supply of oxygen and nutrients.