A rare connection between retinal layer thickness and cognitive decline

Written By :  Dr. Nandita Mohan
Medically Reviewed By :  Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli
Published On 2022-06-02 03:30 GMT   |   Update On 2022-06-02 03:30 GMT

Retinal layer thickness is hypothesized to be related to cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease. However, longitudinal cohort studies of the healthy older population are very limited.A new cohort study found that baseline macular retinal nerve fiber layer thickness is associated with baseline cognitive function scores and follow-up cognitive decline....

Login or Register to read the full article

Retinal layer thickness is hypothesized to be related to cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease. However, longitudinal cohort studies of the healthy older population are very limited.

A new cohort study found that baseline macular retinal nerve fiber layer thickness is associated with baseline cognitive function scores and follow-up cognitive decline. These findings suggest that macular retinal nerve fiber layer thickness could be considered a predictive biomarker for evaluating cognitive function in older individuals.The Study is published in JAMA Opthamalogy.

A total of 430 randomly sampled individuals 60 years or older participated in the baseline assessment, 215 of whom completed 5 years of follow-up. Using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, the study team assessed the thickness of 6 retinal layers in the macular region, the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layers (RNFLs), and the subfoveal choroid at baseline.

Thestudy included 430 participants. A thinner baseline total macular retinal nerve fiber layers thickness was associated with a larger decline in the scores during the follow-up period. Furthermore, participants with baseline total macular retinal nerve fiber layers thickness below the lowest quartile cutoff value presented a greater decline in cognitive scores and a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease than those with retinal nerve fiber layers thickness above the lowest quartile cutoff value.

Hence, it was highlighted that macularretinal nerve fiber layers thickness could be used as a prognostic biomarker of long-term cognitive decline in adults 60 years or older

Tags:    

Disclaimer: This site is primarily intended for healthcare professionals. Any content/information on this website does not replace the advice of medical and/or health professionals and should not be construed as medical/diagnostic advice/endorsement/treatment or prescription. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use, privacy policy, advertisement policy. © 2024 Minerva Medical Treatment Pvt Ltd

Our comments section is governed by our Comments Policy . By posting comments at Medical Dialogues you automatically agree with our Comments Policy , Terms And Conditions and Privacy Policy .

Similar News