Retinal Optical Coherence Tomography in Bipolar Disorder: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Bipolar disorder (BD) presents significant health challenges, including comorbidities and functional impairments.
• Current diagnostic and monitoring methods for BD have limitations, necessitating the development of novel biomarkers.
• The retina, being developmentally linked to the central nervous system, offers a potential avenue for observing brain alterations in BD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing research on retinal changes in bipolar disorder.
• To explore the potential of optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for BD.
• To investigate the association between retinal alterations and clinical characteristics of BD.

Main Methods:

• This study conducted a scoping review of published research on retinal imaging in bipolar disorder.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was identified as a key noninvasive imaging technique.
• Studies examining retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell layer (GCL) in BD patients were analyzed.

Main Results:

• A majority of studies reported thinning in the RNFL and GCL of individuals with BD.
• Some studies found correlations between these retinal changes and clinical features of BD, such as symptom severity.
• Preliminary evidence suggests retinal biomarkers may aid in BD monitoring, though further investigation is required.

Conclusions:

• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a cost-effective, noninvasive method for assessing retinal structure.
• Retinal alterations, particularly RNFL and GCL thinning, are associated with bipolar disorder.
• OCT shows promise as a diagnostic tool for BD, but longitudinal studies are needed to clarify relationships and the impact of confounding factors.