Purpose

This study aims to explore whether retinal imaging can be used to detect ocular changes in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), which is considered a pre-clinical state to Alzheimer’s Disease dementia (DAT).

Retinal changes have not been explored in the MCI population. Optical pathologic changes have been reported in DAT eyes. However, these histopathologic Coherence Tomography (OCT) offers high-resolution non-invasive imaging. Studies examining retinal and optic nerve thickness in aMCI patients have reported various levels of retinal and optic nerve involvement OCT. In this study we focused on aMCI patients who have a memory loss component to their disease. Patients with aMCI progress to DAT at a rate of 10-15% per year, compared to control subjects who progress at a rate of 1-2% per year.

OCT-Angiography

Granular Membranes viewed on OCT-Angiography (OCT-A) in Alzheimer’s patients

AOSLO

Zhang Fawzi Retina
Granular Membranes viewed on Adaptive Optics (AO) in Alzheimer’s patients

Results

Click the link below to hear Dr. Amani Fawzi present findings in a recent interview at Northwestern:

https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/research/news/podcast/eyes-may-reveal-risk-of-alzheimers-disease.html