Zhongyong Shi1, Xinyi Cao2, Jingxiao Hu3, Lijuan Jiang2, Xinchun Mei1, Hailin Zheng1, Yupeng Chen1, Meijuan Wang4, Jing Cao4, Wei Li2, Ting Li5, Chunbo Li6, Yuan Shen7. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, PR China; Anesthesia and Brain Research Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, PR China. 2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, PR China. 3. Soochow University School of Medicine, Suzhou 215006, PR China. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, PR China. 5. Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Shanghai, Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai 200335, PR China. 6. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, PR China; Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, PR China. Electronic address: licb@smhc.org.cn. 7. Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, PR China; Anesthesia and Brain Research Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, PR China. Electronic address: kmshy@tongji.edu.cn.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Abnormal retina structures, such as thinner retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), have been frequently reported in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the association between RNFL and brain structures in cognitively normal adults remains unknown. We therefore set out to conduct a cross-sectional investigation to determine whether RNFL thickness is associated with brain structure volumes in nondemented older adults. METHODS: We measured RNFL thickness by optical coherence tomography and brain structure volumes by 3 T magnetic resonance imaging. Cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neurological Status. Pearson correlation was initially employed to screen for the potential associations among RNFL thickness, brain structure volumes and cognitive function. And then, multivariable linear regression models were conducted to further examine such associations adjusting for possible confounding factors, including age, sex, years of education and the estimated total intracranial volume (eTIV). RESULTS: 113 participants (≥ 65 years old) were screened and 80 of them (mean age: 68 ± 5.3 years; 48% male) were included in the final analysis. RNFL thickness in temporal quadrant was associated with medial temporal lobes volumes [unadjusted: r = 0.155, P = 0.175; adjusted: β = 0.205 (0.014, 0.383), P = 0.035], and especially associated with the hippocampus volume [unadjusted: r = 0.213, P = 0.062; adjusted: β = 0.251 (0.060, 0.435), P = 0.011] after adjusted for age, sex, years of education and eTIV. Moreover, it showed that RNFL thickness in inferior quadrant [unadjusted: r = 0.221, P = 0.052; adjusted: β = 0.226 (0.010. 0.446), P = 0.041] was significantly associated with occipital lobes volumes after the adjustment of age, sex, years of education and eTIV, and selectively associated with the substructure of lingual gyrus volume [unadjusted: r = 0.223, P = 0.050; adjusted: β = 0.278 (0.058, 0.487), P = 0.014]. In addition, average RNFL thickness was associated with the cognitive domain of visuospatial/constructional [unadjusted: r = 0.114, P = 0.322; adjusted: β = 0.216 (0.006, 0.426), P = 0.044] after the adjustment in these nondemented older adults. CONCLUSIONS: Quadrant-specific associations exist between RNFL thickness and brain regions vulnerable to aging or neurodegeneration in older adults with normal cognition. These findings would promote further investigations into using RNFL as a noninvasive and less expensive biomarker of neurocognitive aging and AD-related neurodegeneration.
OBJECTIVES: Abnormal retina structures, such as thinner retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), have been frequently reported in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the association between RNFL and brain structures in cognitively normal adults remains unknown. We therefore set out to conduct a cross-sectional investigation to determine whether RNFL thickness is associated with brain structure volumes in nondemented older adults. METHODS: We measured RNFL thickness by optical coherence tomography and brain structure volumes by 3 T magnetic resonance imaging. Cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neurological Status. Pearson correlation was initially employed to screen for the potential associations among RNFL thickness, brain structure volumes and cognitive function. And then, multivariable linear regression models were conducted to further examine such associations adjusting for possible confounding factors, including age, sex, years of education and the estimated total intracranial volume (eTIV). RESULTS: 113 participants (≥ 65 years old) were screened and 80 of them (mean age: 68 ± 5.3 years; 48% male) were included in the final analysis. RNFL thickness in temporal quadrant was associated with medial temporal lobes volumes [unadjusted: r = 0.155, P = 0.175; adjusted: β = 0.205 (0.014, 0.383), P = 0.035], and especially associated with the hippocampus volume [unadjusted: r = 0.213, P = 0.062; adjusted: β = 0.251 (0.060, 0.435), P = 0.011] after adjusted for age, sex, years of education and eTIV. Moreover, it showed that RNFL thickness in inferior quadrant [unadjusted: r = 0.221, P = 0.052; adjusted: β = 0.226 (0.010. 0.446), P = 0.041] was significantly associated with occipital lobes volumes after the adjustment of age, sex, years of education and eTIV, and selectively associated with the substructure of lingual gyrus volume [unadjusted: r = 0.223, P = 0.050; adjusted: β = 0.278 (0.058, 0.487), P = 0.014]. In addition, average RNFL thickness was associated with the cognitive domain of visuospatial/constructional [unadjusted: r = 0.114, P = 0.322; adjusted: β = 0.216 (0.006, 0.426), P = 0.044] after the adjustment in these nondemented older adults. CONCLUSIONS: Quadrant-specific associations exist between RNFL thickness and brain regions vulnerable to aging or neurodegeneration in older adults with normal cognition. These findings would promote further investigations into using RNFL as a noninvasive and less expensive biomarker of neurocognitive aging and AD-related neurodegeneration.
Authors: Inés López-Cuenca; Alberto Marcos-Dolado; Miguel Yus-Fuertes; Elena Salobrar-García; Lorena Elvira-Hurtado; José A Fernández-Albarral; Juan J Salazar; Ana I Ramírez; Lidia Sánchez-Puebla; Manuel Enrique Fuentes-Ferrer; Ana Barabash; Federico Ramírez-Toraño; Lidia Gil-Martínez; Juan Arrazola-García; Pedro Gil; Rosa de Hoz; José M Ramírez Journal: Alzheimers Res Ther Date: 2022-06-04 Impact factor: 8.823
Authors: Robert P Finger; Monique M B Breteler; Matthias M Mauschitz; Valerie Lohner; Alexandra Koch; Tony Stöcker; Martin Reuter; Frank G Holz Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2022-02-17 Impact factor: 4.379