Title:Structural and Functional Impairment of the Retina and Optic Nerve in Alzheimer’s Disease
VOLUME: 9 ISSUE: 7
Author(s):Marilita M Moschos, Ioannis Markopoulos, Irini Chatziralli, Alexandros Rouvas, Sokratis G Papageorgiou, Ioannis Ladas and Dimitrios Vassilopoulos
Affiliation:6, Ikarias str, Ekali 14578, Athens, Greece.
Keywords:Alzheimer, eye, impairment, mfERG, OCT, visual, cone photoreceptors cells, retinal cells.
Abstract:Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the macular and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness,
and the electrical activity of the macula in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Material and methods: 30 patients
with AD and 30 age and sex matched healthy controls were studied. The thickness and the electrical activity of the macula
were evaluated by means of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and multifocal-electroretinogram (mf-ERG). Results:
Visual acuity, as well as visual fields and colour vision testing of all patients were normal. However, the mean foveal
thickness was 148.50 μm (vs 171.50 μm in the control group, p=0.001) and the RNFL thickness was 104.5 μm in the superior
area (vs 123 μm in the control group, p<0.0001) and 116.5 μm in the inferior area (vs 138 μm in the control group,
p<0.0001) around the optic nerve. The mean P1 response density amplitude of the foveal area was 146.50 nV/deg2 (vs 293
nV/deg2 in the control group, p<0.0001) and the perifoveal area was 56.60 nV/deg2 (vs 81.50nv/deg2 in the control group,
p<0.001). Conclusion: Our study showed that in patients with AD, even without visual failure there was a decrease in
macular and RNFL thickness, as well as a decrease of the electrical activity of the macula.
