Optical coherence tomography angiography in patients with euthymic bipolar disorder

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Few studies have evaluated retinal microvascularity in Bipolar Disorder (BD).
• Understanding the relationship between BD and vascular changes is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate retinal microvascular changes in euthymic BD patients using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA).
• To assess OCTA measurements for potential diagnostic support in BD.
• To explore the link between BD and vascular alterations.

Main Methods:

• Compared OCTA measurements from 48 euthymic BD patients and 45 healthy controls.
• Analyzed retinal vessel density, foveal avascular zone, retinal nerve fiber layer, and capillary plexus values.
• Utilized multivariate regression analysis to identify differentiating factors.

Main Results:

• Specific retinal nerve fiber layer and radial peripapillary capillary plexus quadrants, along with superficial vessel density, independently differentiated BD patients from controls.
• OCTA revealed significant differences in retinal neurodegeneration and vascularization between groups.

Conclusions:

• OCTA is a promising tool for identifying retinal vascular and neurodegenerative changes associated with Bipolar Disorder.
• Retinal microvascularity metrics may serve as potential biomarkers for BD.
• Further research is needed, considering medication effects beyond mood stabilizers.