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Published on: January 10, 2019
Cellular-Level Visualization of Retinal Pathology in Multiple Sclerosis With Adaptive Optics
Daniel X Hammer1, Katherine Kovalick1,2, Zhuolin Liu1
1Division of Biomedical Physics, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.
Adaptive optics-optical coherence tomography (AO-OCT) reveals significant neurodegenerative changes in the retina of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, including reduced axonal volume and retinal ganglion cell density. These AO-OCT findings correlate with MS-related disabilities and support its use as a biomarker.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology and Neuroscience
- Neurodegenerative disease research
- Biomarker development
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system.
- Retinal neurodegeneration is increasingly recognized as a hallmark of MS pathology.
- Quantifying MS-induced retinal changes requires advanced imaging techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To utilize adaptive optics-optical coherence tomography (AO-OCT) for quantifying MS-related changes in the macula.
- To assess alterations in axonal bundles, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), and macrophage-like cells.
- To investigate the relationship between these retinal changes and MS disease status, including optic neuritis (ON) history.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study employed AO-OCT to image the retinas of MS participants (n=10) and healthy volunteers (HV, n=9).
- Participants included MS patients with and without a history of ON.
- Quantitative analysis focused on nerve fiber layer axonal bundle volume, RGC density and diameter, and macrophage-like cell density.
Main Results:
- MS participants exhibited significantly lower axonal bundle volume (38%) and RGC density (51%) compared to HVs (P < 0.001).
- RGCs were larger (15% increase) in MS patients, with observed spatial variations in density across the macula.
- Worse outcomes were noted in MS patients with a history of ON, and AO-OCT measures correlated with visual and physical disabilities.
Conclusions:
- AO-OCT is a highly sensitive and specific tool for detecting neurodegenerative changes in MS.
- The study elucidates mechanisms of retinal neuronal pathology in MS.
- Findings support the development of AO-based imaging biomarkers for MS diagnosis and monitoring.
