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Dried Blood Spot Collection of Health Biomarkers to Maximize Participation in Population Studies
Published on: January 28, 2014
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Biomarkers
1University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Alzheimer'S & Dementia : the Journal of the Alzheimer'S Association
|December 24, 2025
Summary
Enlarged perivascular spaces (PVSs) indicate brain microvascular changes. This study found retinal vascular metrics are significantly associated with PVS burden in older adults, suggesting their potential as surrogate markers for brain vascular health.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Ophthalmology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Enlarged perivascular spaces (PVSs) are linked to aging and neurodegeneration.
- The retina shares microvascular similarities with the brain, making it a potential area for study.
- This research investigates the connection between retinal vascular metrics and PVS burden.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the association between retinal vascular metrics and MRI-visible PVS burden.
- To determine if retinal capillary free zones (CFZs) correlate with PVS characteristics.
- To assess the relationship between retinal vessel parameters and brain PVS load.
Main Methods:
- Acquired optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images of the retina and brain MRI scans from 23 eyes of 14 older adults.
- Quantified retinal metrics including mid-peripheral CFZs, vessel diameter, vessel density, and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) size.
- Utilized an automated algorithm for whole-brain PVS characterization and statistical analysis (Pearson correlation, mixed model regression).
Main Results:
- Median PVS volume and length showed a negative trend with perivenule CFZ.
- Significant associations were found between median PVS volume and venule diameter, FAZ size, and FAZ effective diameter.
- Age was positively correlated with the total number of PVS clusters.
Conclusions:
- Retinal vascular metrics are significantly associated with MRI-visible PVS burden in cognitively unimpaired older adults.
- These findings suggest retinal vascular metrics may serve as surrogate markers for brain vascular changes.
- The study highlights the potential of OCTA for assessing neurovascular health non-invasively.
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