Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology precedes symptoms and its detection can identify at-risk individuals who may benefit from early treatment. Since the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) is depleted in established AD, we tested whether its thickness can predict whether cognitively healthy (CH) individuals have a normal or pathological cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aß42 (A) and tau (T) ratio.Methods
As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, we enrolled CH individuals, excluding those with cognitive impairment and significant ocular pathology. We classified the CH group into two sub-groups, normal (CH-NAT, n = 16) or pathological (CH-PAT, n = 27), using a logistic regression model from the CSF AT ratio that identified >85% of patients with a clinically probable AD diagnosis. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) was acquired for RNFL, ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL), and macular thickness. Group differences were tested using mixed model repeated measures and a classification model derived using multiple logistic regression.Results
Mean age (± standard deviation) in the CH-PAT group (n = 27; 75.2 ± 8.4 years) was similar (p = 0.50) to the CH-NAT group (n = 16; 74.1 ± 7.9 years). Mean RNFL (standard error) was thinner in the CH-PAT group by 9.8 (2.7) μm; p < 0.001. RNFL thickness classified CH-NAT vs. CH-PAT with 87% sensitivity and 56.3% specificity.Conclusions
Our retinal data predict which individuals have CSF biomarkers of AD pathology before cognitive deficits are detectable with 87% sensitivity. Such results from easy-to-acquire, objective and non-invasive measurements of the RNFL merit further study of OCT technology to monitor or screen for early AD pathology.
SUBMITTER: Asanad S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7259639 | biostudies-literature | 2020
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Asanad Samuel S Fantini Michele M Sultan William W Nassisi Marco M Felix Christian M CM Wu Jessica J Karanjia Rustum R Ross-Cisneros Fred N FN Sagare Abhay P AP Zlokovic Berislav V BV Chui Helena C HC Pogoda Janice M JM Arakaki Xianghong X Fonteh Alfred N AN Sadun Alfredo A AA Harrington Michael G MG
PloS one 20200529 5
<h4>Background</h4>Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology precedes symptoms and its detection can identify at-risk individuals who may benefit from early treatment. Since the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) is depleted in established AD, we tested whether its thickness can predict whether cognitively healthy (CH) individuals have a normal or pathological cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aß42 (A) and tau (T) ratio.<h4>Methods</h4>As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, we enrolled CH individuals, excludi ...[more]