Retinal Vascular Morphology Reflects and Predicts Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: Evidences from Eye-Brain Imaging Analysis.

ABSTRACT: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) involves ischemic white matter damage and choroid plexus (CP) dysfunction for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production. Given the vascular and CSF links between the eye and brain, this study explored whether retinal vascular morphology can indicate cerebrovascular injury and CP dysfunction in SVD. We assessed SVD burden using imaging phenotypes like white matter hyperintensities (WMH), perivascular spaces, lacunes, and microbleeds. Cerebrovascular injury was quantified by WMH volume and peak width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD), while CP volume measured its dysfunction. Retinal vascular markers were derived from fundus images, with associations analyzed using generalized linear models and Pearson correlations. Path analysis quantified contributions

SUBMITTER: Wu N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11883085 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature