Correlation between cognitive impairment and retinal neural loss assessed by swept-source optical coherence tomography in patients with mild cognitive impairment

Ana L M Almeida; Leopoldo A Pires; Evelyn A Figueiredo; Luciana V F Costa-Cunha; Leandro C Zacharias; Rony C Preti; Mário L R Monteiro; Leonardo P Cunha

doi:10.1016/j.dadm.2019.08.006

Correlation between cognitive impairment and retinal neural loss assessed by swept-source optical coherence tomography in patients with mild cognitive impairment

Alzheimers Dement (Amst). 2019 Sep 25:11:659-669. doi: 10.1016/j.dadm.2019.08.006. eCollection 2019 Dec.

Authors

Ana L M Almeida¹, Leopoldo A Pires¹, Evelyn A Figueiredo², Luciana V F Costa-Cunha³, Leandro C Zacharias⁴, Rony C Preti⁴, Mário L R Monteiro⁴, Leonardo P Cunha^{2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora Medical School, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
² Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora Medical School, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
³ Juiz de Fora Eye Hospital, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
⁴ Division of Ophthalmology, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.

Abstract

Introduction: We compared peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer and macular thickness measurements in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and control subjects using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). We also assessed the relationship between SS-OCT measurements and the severity of cognitive impairment.

Methods: Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer and macular thickness were measured in 23 patients and 24 control subjects using SS-OCT. Cognitive status was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and the Pfeffer Questionnaire.

Results: Most inner retinal layer thickness parameters were significantly smaller in patients with MCI, especially macular ganglion cell complex thickness measurements. Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment findings were significantly correlated with most macular thickness parameters.

Discussion: The SS-OCT-measured inner retinal layers of patients with MCI displayed thinning, especially in the central macular area. SS-OCT technology can provide useful information on ocular involvement patterns and holds promise as an ocular biomarker in this patient population.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Dementia; Ganglion cell layer; Macula; Mild cognitive impairment; Optic nerve; Optical coherence tomography; Retina; Retinal nerve fiber layer; Swept-source.