Retinal vascular fractal dimension, childhood IQ, and cognitive ability in old age: the Lothian Birth Cohort Study 1936.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Cerebral microvascular disease is associated with dementia. Differences in the topography of the retinal vascular network may be a marker for cerebrovascular disease. The association between cerebral microvascular state and non-pathological cognitive ageing is less clear, particularly because studies are rarely able to adjust for pre-morbid cognitive ability level. We measured retinal vascular fractal dimension (Df) as a potential marker of cerebral microvascular disease. We examined the extent to which it contributes to differences in non-pathological cognitive ability in old age, after adjusting for childhood mental ability.

Methods

Participants from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 Study (LBC1936) had cognitive ability assessments and retinal photographs taken of bot

SUBMITTER: Taylor AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4376388 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature