Brain and retina in Alzheimer's disease: Pathological intersections and estimates from imaging.

ABSTRACT: Recent studies have highlighted retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging as a promising biomarker for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This review connects AD brain pathology - particularly amyloid beta (Aβ), tau, and vascular changes - with corresponding retinal changes. Evidence suggests that abnormal Aβ and tau deposits in the retina may reflect brain pathology, though their formation mechanisms remain unclear. Retinal vascular changes may also mirror brain pathology, with recent data emerging on other co-pathologies. Retinal thickness changes, especially in acetylcholine-producing layers, can differentiate AD from controls, although not in early AD; however, emerging high-resolution OCT techniques may enhance early detection. We find that correlations between

SUBMITTER: Banihashemi MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12658388 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature