Premium
Ganglion cell layer measurements correlate with disease severity in patients with A lzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
GarciaMartin Elena,
Bambo Maria P.,
Marques Marcia L.,
Satue Maria,
Otin Sofia,
Larrosa Jose M.,
Polo Vicente,
Pablo Luis E.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/aos.12977
Subject(s) - ganglion , ganglion cell layer , nerve fiber layer , retinal , inner plexiform layer , optical coherence tomography , medicine , neurodegeneration , ophthalmology , retinal ganglion cell , retina , atrophy , pathology , disease , biology , neuroscience , anatomy
Purpose To evaluate the thickness of the 10 retinal layers of patients with A lzheimer's disease ( AD ) using a new segmentation technology of the S pectralis optical coherence tomography ( OCT ) and to determine whether the thickness of specific layers predicts neurodegeneration or AD severity. Methods Patients with AD ( n = 150) and age‐matched healthy controls ( n = 75) were analysed using the segmentation application prototype to automatically segment all retinal layers in a macular scan. Thicknesses of each layer were compared between patients with AD and controls, and between patients with disease durations of less than or at least 3 years. Associations between retinal layer thicknesses, disease duration and AD severity were evaluated. Results Patients with AD had reduced thickness in the retinal nerve fibre, ganglion cell, inner plexiform and outer nuclear layers (p < 0.05). The inner retinal layers were more affected in patients with long disease duration. Ganglion cell and retinal nerve fibre layer thicknesses were inversely correlated with AD duration and severity. Ganglion cell and inner plexiform layers thicknesses were predictive of axonal damage. Conclusions The segmentation application revealed ganglion cell and retinal layer atrophy in patients with AD compared with controls, especially in the inner layers of patients with long disease duration. Ganglion cell layer reduction was associated with increased axonal damage and may predict greater disease severity.