Exploring Cognitive Impairments Associated with Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Exfoliation Glaucoma

This study explored the link between different types of glaucoma and cognitive function in a cohort of 620 Japanese patients. Participants were categorized into primary open-angle glaucoma (PG), exfoliation glaucoma (EG), and non-glaucomatous control groups. The findings revealed a significant decline in cognitive function as indicated by the Mini-Cog test in the EG group (mean ± SD: 4.0 ± 1, 95% CI: 3.9 to 4.2) compared to the PG group (4.4 ± 0.1, 4.3 to 4.5, p < 0.0001). Levels of fingertip measured advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) were significantly higher in the EG group (mean ± SD: 0.45 ± 0.006, 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.46) compared to the PG group (0.43 ± 0.004, 0.42 to 0.44, p = 0.0014). Although the multivariate analysis initially showed no direct association between glaucoma types and Mini-Cog scores, the EG group exhibited higher age and intraocular pressure (IOP) compared to the PG group. Further analysis revealed that high levels of AGEs were associated with cognitive decline and decreased mean visual fields in the EG group. Age was identified as a cofounding factor in these associations. An inverse correlation was observed between the accumulation of AGEs and skin carotenoid levels. Early detection of cognitive decline in glaucoma patients could enable timely intervention to preserve visual fields. Fingertip measurements of skin carotenoids and AGEs offer promising potential as non-invasive, straightforward diagnostic tools that could be widely adopted for monitoring ophthalmic and cognitive health in glaucoma patients.