Journal of Diagnostics Concepts & Practice >
Clinical research progress on retinal changes in Alzheimer’s disease
Received date: 2024-01-31
Accepted date: 2024-08-05
Online published: 2025-02-25
Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), often have with subtle early symptoms and lack specific biological markers, leading to a diagnosis typically in the later stages of the disease and missing optimal treatment window. In recent years, advances in embryology and ocular-brain pathology have revealed that the retina, as part of the central nervous system, is found to have a Physiology and anatomical structure highly similar to that of the brain. Research shows that changes in retinal structures, such as the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), are closely associated with the progression of degenerative diseases in central nervous system, and these changes often occur before brain symptoms appear. With the advent of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), non-invasive, rapid, and reproducible retinal imaging examinations can now be performed to observe the microvascular networks and microstructures of the retina, enabling the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, research on changes of retinal structure and function in AD patients demonstrates that retinal functional indicators, including RNFL thickness, GCIPL, retinal vascular density, and visual function, undergo significant changes in neurodegenerative diseases. These findings offer valuable insights into the retina as a window reflec-ting the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and demonstrate that retinal parameters can serve as a potential biological marker for neurodegenerative diseases.
PENG Hanwei , SHEN Xi . Clinical research progress on retinal changes in Alzheimer’s disease[J]. Journal of Diagnostics Concepts & Practice, 2025 , 24(01) : 89 -94 . DOI: 10.16150/j.1671-2870.2025.01.013
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