Open AccessNeurofilament light chain and retinal layers' determinants and association: A population‐based study
Author(s) -
Garzone Davide,
Finger Robert P.,
Mauschitz Matthias M.,
Santos Marina L. S.,
Breteler Monique M. B.,
Aziz N. Ahmad
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
annals of clinical and translational neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.824
H-Index - 42
ISSN - 2328-9503
DOI - 10.1002/acn3.51522
Subject(s) - atrophy , neurodegeneration , medicine , retinal , pathology , population , optical coherence tomography , ophthalmology , retina , neuroscience , disease , biology , environmental health
Both retinal atrophy measured through optical coherence tomography and plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels are markers of neurodegeneration, but their relationship is unknown. Therefore, we assessed their determinants and association in 4369 participants of a population‐based study. Both plasma NfL levels and inner retinal atrophy increased exponentially with age. In the presence of risk factors for neurodegeneration (including age, smoking, and a history of neurological disorders), plasma NfL levels were associated with inner retinal atrophy and outer retinal thickening. Our findings indicate that inner retinal atrophy can reflect neuroaxonal damage as mirrored by rising plasma NfL levels.