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Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness is associated with episodic memory deficit in mild cognitive impairment patients

Yuan Shen, Liang Liu, Yan Cheng

  • 1Dr. Yuan Shen, Department of Psychiatry, Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, 301 Yan Chang Rd., Shanghai 200072, P. R. China.. kmsharonshen@gmail.com.

Current Alzheimer Research
|February 4, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness changes may indicate cognitive decline. In mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, inferior quadrant RNFL thickness is inversely associated with episodic memory, suggesting its potential as an Alzheimer

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology and Neurology
  • Neuroscience and Gerontology

Background:

  • Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness changes are observed in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a precursor to Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • The specific association between RNFL thickness and distinct cognitive deficits in MCI patients requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the relationship between RNFL thickness and episodic memory function in individuals with MCI.
  • To determine if RNFL thickness can serve as a potential biomarker for early-stage cognitive impairment and AD.

Main Methods:

  • Seventy-five older adults (52 normal cognition, 23 MCI) underwent optical coherence tomography for RNFL thickness measurement.
  • Cognitive function, specifically episodic memory, was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status.
  • Statistical analyses correlated RNFL thickness in different quadrants with episodic memory test scores.

Main Results:

  • In normal cognition participants, nasal quadrant RNFL thickness positively correlated with word list learning and story recall.
  • In MCI participants, inferior quadrant RNFL thickness showed an inverse association with word list learning, story memory, and story recall.
  • These findings highlight quadrant-specific differences in RNFL thickness associations with episodic memory between cognitive groups.

Conclusions:

  • Inferior quadrant RNFL thickness is significantly associated with specific episodic memory deficits in MCI patients.
  • RNFL thickness, particularly in the inferior quadrant, may represent a potential imaging biomarker for MCI and Alzheimer's disease.
  • Further research is warranted to validate RNFL's application as a non-invasive biomarker for AD progression.

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