Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Cortical amyloid burden is associated with neuronal and vascular abnormalities. The retina shares significant structural and physiological similarities with the brain. This study assessed the association of retinal microstructural and microvascular signs with cortical amyloid burden in the prospective Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities-Positron Emission Tomography study. One hundred and twenty-four participants without a diagnosis of dementia underwent florbetapir PET (2011–13) and optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography imaging (2017–19). Retinal nerve fibre thickness, total macular thickness and the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness were derived from the optical coherence tomography scan. Vessel density and the foveal avascular zone were measured on the 3 × 3 mm2 optical coherence tomography angiography scan. Amyloid burden, defined by global cortical standardized uptake value ratio, was treated as a dichotomous (standardized uptake value ratio > 1.2) and continuous outcome measure in logistic and robust linear regression models, respectively. Only lower intermediate capillary plexus vessel density [β (95% confidence interval) = −0.05 (−0.12, −0.01)] was significantly associated with increased continuous amyloid standardized uptake value ratio but not elevated dichotomous amyloid burden independently of demographic, genetic and vascular risk factors. No other retinal measure showed a significant association. Microvascular signs may accompany greater amyloid burden in late life in individuals without dementia.
Source: Brain Communications
Institutions: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medicine, National Institute on Aging, Washington University in St. Louis, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,095
Funders: NHS Innovation Accelerator, Norges Idrettshøgskole, National Institutes of Health, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, National Institute on Aging, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Eye Institute, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Awards: G1069547486, G1121746764, G124418500, G1518371162, G1623886336, G2195207551, G2339050794, The ARIC-PET Amyloid Imaging Study, Eye Determinants of Cognition (EyeDOC) Study, G2737802190, G2889674361, G338088010, G354227350, G421917476, ARIC Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS) Renewal UNC 4 of 5, G4819198047, G4846232932, G4961862235, G5267790454, G5364873420, G54938809, G583528397, G5954722477, G6265038979, G6418484092, ARIC Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS) Renewal 2 of 5, ARIC Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS), G6978868085, G7243995979, G7276788223, G9000005794, G9000028535, G9000076324, G9000079369, G9000082059
OpenAlex ID: W4407794693