Association of optic disc pallor and RNFL thickness with cerebral small vessel disease in the PREVENT-Dementia study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Association of optic disc pallor and RNFL thickness with cerebral small vessel disease in the PREVENT-Dementia study

AU - Gibbon, Samuel

AU - Low, Audrey

AU - Hamid, Charlene

AU - Reid-Schachter, Megan

AU - Muniz-Terrera, Graciela

AU - Ritchie, Craig W.

AU - Trucco, Emanuele

AU - Dhillon, Baljean

AU - O'Brien, John T.

AU - MacGillivray, Thomas J.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.

PY - 2024/8/31

Y1 - 2024/8/31

N2 - INTRODUCTION We tested associations between two retinal measures (optic disc pallor, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer [pRNFL] thickness) and four magnetic resonance imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD; lacunes, microbleeds, white matter hyperintensities, and enlarged perivascular spaces [ePVSs]). METHODS We used PallorMetrics to quantify optic disc pallor from fundus photographs, and pRNFL thickness from optical coherence tomography scans. Linear and logistic regression assessed relationships between retinal measures and SVD markers. Participants (N = 108, mean age 51.6) were from the PREVENT Dementia study. RESULTS: Global optic disc pallor was linked to ePVSs in the basal ganglia in both left (β = 0.12, standard error [SE] = 0.05, P < 0.05) and right eyes (β = 0.13, SE = 0.05, P < 0.05). Associations were also noted in different disc sectors. No pRNFL associations with SVD markers were found. DISCUSSION Optic disc pallor correlated with ePVSs in the basal ganglia, suggesting retinal examination may be a useful method to study brain health changes related to SVD. Highlights - Optic disc pallor is linked to enlarged perivascular spaces in basal ganglia.- There is no association between peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and cerebral small vessel disease markers. - Optic disc examination could provide insights into brain health. - The sample included 108 midlife adults from the PREVENT Dementia study.

AB - INTRODUCTION We tested associations between two retinal measures (optic disc pallor, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer [pRNFL] thickness) and four magnetic resonance imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD; lacunes, microbleeds, white matter hyperintensities, and enlarged perivascular spaces [ePVSs]). METHODS We used PallorMetrics to quantify optic disc pallor from fundus photographs, and pRNFL thickness from optical coherence tomography scans. Linear and logistic regression assessed relationships between retinal measures and SVD markers. Participants (N = 108, mean age 51.6) were from the PREVENT Dementia study. RESULTS: Global optic disc pallor was linked to ePVSs in the basal ganglia in both left (β = 0.12, standard error [SE] = 0.05, P < 0.05) and right eyes (β = 0.13, SE = 0.05, P < 0.05). Associations were also noted in different disc sectors. No pRNFL associations with SVD markers were found. DISCUSSION Optic disc pallor correlated with ePVSs in the basal ganglia, suggesting retinal examination may be a useful method to study brain health changes related to SVD. Highlights - Optic disc pallor is linked to enlarged perivascular spaces in basal ganglia.- There is no association between peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and cerebral small vessel disease markers. - Optic disc examination could provide insights into brain health. - The sample included 108 midlife adults from the PREVENT Dementia study.

KW - cerebral small vessel disease

KW - dementia

KW - magnetic resonance imaging

KW - optic disc pallor

KW - retina

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85200694920

U2 - 10.1002/dad2.12633

DO - 10.1002/dad2.12633

M3 - Article

C2 - 39119001

AN - SCOPUS:85200694920

SN - 2352-8729

VL - 16

JO - Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring

JF - Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring

IS - 3

M1 - e12633

ER -