Dataset Information

Association of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness With Brain Alterations in the Visual and Limbic Networks in Elderly Adults Without Dementia.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

The eye is a sensory organ that is easily accessible for imaging techniques, allowing the measurement of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. The eye is part of the central nervous system, and its neurons may be susceptible to degeneration; therefore, changes in the RNFL thickness may reflect microstructural and volume alterations in the brain.

Objective

To explore the association between the peripapillary RNFL thickness and brain alterations in the visual and limbic networks in elderly people without dementia.

Design, setting, and participants

Cross-sectional analysis of the Three-City/Antioxydants, Lipides Essentiels, Nutrition et Maladies Oculaires (Alienor) Study cohort (April 2009 to December 2010). The dates of analysis were July 2017 to August 2018. The setting was a population-based study in France. The brain volume analysis included 104 participants, and the diffusion tensor imaging analysis included 79 participants.

Main outcomes and measures

Global RNFL was assessed by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Brain volumes were assessed via T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging by measurement of the global white and gray matter fractions and the hippocampal fraction. Brain microstructural alterations were assessed with diffusion tensor imaging at the level of the posterior thalamic radiations, the limbic system tracts (the fornix and cingulum bundles), and the posterior limb of the internal capsule (control region). Linear regression models adjusted for several confounders were performed.

Results

Among a total of 104 participants, the mean (SD) age was 80.8 (3.9) years, and the cohort was 56.7% women (n?=?59). The mean (SD) global RNFL thickness was 89.3 (12.9) µm. A thicker RNFL was associated with a greater hippocampal fraction (quantity of increase ??=?0.013; 95% CI, 0.001-0.025 per 10-?m increase in the RNFL thickness) and better diffusion tensor imaging variables in the global cingulum (mean diffusivity ??=?-0.007; 95% CI, -0.015 to -0.000) and the hippocampal part of the cingulum (mean diffusivity ??=?-0.009; 95% CI, -0.016 to -0.002 and radial diffusivity ??=?-0.010; 95% CI, -0.018 to -0.002) and the posterior thalamic radiations (fractional anisotropy ??=?0.008; 95% CI, 0.000-0.017). No significant associations were found with other magnetic resonance imaging volumes or with other diffusion tensor imaging variables. In particular, there was no significant association with the control region of interest.

Conclusions and relevance

Results of this study suggest that in elderly individuals without dementia, a thicker RNFL was associated with better magnetic resonance imaging variables both in a region that included the visual pathways and in regions particularly involved in the neurodegenerative processes of Alzheimer disease.

SUBMITTER: Mendez-Gomez JL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6324371 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Association of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness With Brain Alterations in the Visual and Limbic Networks in Elderly Adults Without Dementia.

Méndez-Gómez Juan Luis JL Pelletier Amandine A Rougier Marie-Bénédicte MB Korobelnik Jean-François JF Schweitzer Cédric C Delyfer Marie-Noëlle MN Catheline Gwenaëlle G Monfermé Solène S Dartigues Jean-François JF Delcourt Cécile C Helmer Catherine C

JAMA network open 20181102 7

<h4>Importance</h4>The eye is a sensory organ that is easily accessible for imaging techniques, allowing the measurement of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. The eye is part of the central nervous system, and its neurons may be susceptible to degeneration; therefore, changes in the RNFL thickness may reflect microstructural and volume alterations in the brain.<h4>Objective</h4>To explore the association between the peripapillary RNFL thickness and brain alterations in the visual an ...[more]

PMID: 30646353

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Project description:PURPOSE:To investigate the role of sex on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness at 768 circumpapillary locations based on OCT findings. DESIGN:Population-based cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS:We investigated 5646 eyes of 5646 healthy participants from the Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases (LIFE)-Adult Study of a predominantly white population. METHODS:All participants underwent standardized systemic assessments and ocular imaging. Circumpapillary RNFL (cRNFL) thickness was measured at 768 points equidistant from the optic nerve head using spectral-domain OCT (Spectralis; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). To control ocular magnification effects, the true scanning radius was estimated by scanning focus. Student t test was used to evaluate sex differences in cRNFL thickness globally and at each of the 768 locations. Multivariable linear regression and analysis of variance were used to evaluate individual contributions of various factors to cRNFL thickness variance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Difference in cRNFL thickness between males and females. RESULTS:Our population consisted of 54.8% females. The global cRNFL thickness was 1 ?m thicker in females (P < 0.001). However, detailed analysis at each of the 768 locations revealed substantial location specificity of the sex effects, with RNFL thickness difference ranging from -9.98 to +8.00 ?m. Females showed significantly thicker RNFLs in the temporal, superotemporal, nasal, inferonasal, and inferotemporal regions (43.6% of 768 locations), whereas males showed significantly thicker RNFLs in the superior region (13.2%). The results were similar after adjusting for age, body height, and scanning radius. The superotemporal and inferotemporal RNFL peaks shifted temporally in females by 2.4° and 1.9°, respectively. On regions with significant sex effects, sex explained more RNFL thickness variance than age, whereas the major peak locations and interpeak angle explained most of the RNFL thickness variance unexplained by sex. CONCLUSIONS:Substantial sex effects on cRNFL thickness were found at 56.8% of all 768 circumpapillary locations, with specific patterns for different sectors. Over large regions, sex was at least as important in explaining the cRNFL thickness variance as was age, which is well established to have a substantial impact on cRNFL thickness. Including sex in the cRNFL thickness norm could therefore improve glaucoma diagnosis and monitoring.

Project description:ObjectiveTo evaluate the distribution of macula and circumpapillary retina nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness and other associated factors among grade-1 primary school children in Lhasa using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).MethodologyOCT assessment was conducted on 1856 grade-1 students from 7 primary schools in Lhasa, Tibet following a successful random stratified sampling of the students. Each child underwent comprehensive general and ocular examinations as well as an SD-OCT detection (12 × 9 mm, 3D wide scan mode, Topcon 3D OCT-1) to assess the thickness of the macula, ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), ganglion cell complex (GCC), and cpRNFL. Multivariate and correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the association of the demographic and ocular variables.ResultsThe average age of the 1762 (94.43%) students who underwent OCT assessment was 6.83 ± 0.46 years. Among them, 984 (53.02%) were boys. The number of students who had macular, cpRNFL, and optic disc scans completed and with adequate image quality were 1412 (82.2%), 1277 (74.4%), and 1243 (72.4%), respectively. The average macula full retinal thickness (FRT), GCIPL, GCC, and cpRNFL thickness of the students was 279.19 ± 10.61 μm, 76.41 ± 4.70 μm, 108.15 ± 6.15 μm, and 112.33 ± 13.5 μm, respectively. Multivariate regression and correlation analysis further revealed that boys and girls had significant differences in their average cpRNFL thickness. Moreover, GCC and GCIPL thickness was negatively correlated with IOP but positively correlated with the body mass index. The thickness of all the layers of the macula and cpRNFL were positively correlated with spherical equivalent. Further to this, the average macular FRT, GCIPL, and GCC thicknesses were positively correlated with cpRNFL global thickness.ConclusionThis study describes the normal distribution of macular retina, cpRNFL, and optic disc parameters in grade-1 Tibetan children in Lhasa. It contributes to the establishment of a normative ophthalmology database of Tibetan children, and advances the ability of OCT in ophthalmic disorder diagnosis during long-term monitoring in plateau.

Dataset Information

Association of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness With Brain Alterations in the Visual and Limbic Networks in Elderly Adults Without Dementia.

Importance

Objective

Design, setting, and participants

Main outcomes and measures

Results

Conclusions and relevance

Publications

Association of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness With Brain Alterations in the Visual and Limbic Networks in Elderly Adults Without Dementia.

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