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A novel retinal biomarker for Parkinson's disease: Quantifying the foveal pit with optical coherence tomography
Samantha Slotnick1,2, Yin Ding3, Sofya Glazman4
1Scarsdale, New York, USA.
Background:
Optical coherence tomography offers a potential biomarker tool in Parkinson's disease (PD). A mathematical model quantifying symmetry, breadth, and depth of the fovea was applied.
Methods:
Nintey-six subjects (72 PD and 24 healthy controls) were included in the study. Macular scans of each eye were obtained on two different optical coherence tomography devices: Cirrus and RTVue.
Results:
The variables corresponding to the cardinal gradients of the fovea were the most sensitive indicators of PD for both devices. Principal component analysis distinguished 65% of PD patients from controls on Cirrus, 57% on RTVue.
Conclusion:
Parkinson's disease shallows the superior/inferior and to a lesser degree nasal-temporal foveal slope. The symmetry, breadth, and depth model fits optical coherence tomography data derived from two different devices, and it is proposed as a diagnostic tool in PD.

