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Updated: Mar 19, 2026
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Evaluation of Capillary and Other Vessel Contribution to Macular Perfusion Density Measured with Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Published on: February 18, 2022
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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Macular, Choroidal, and Peripapillary Perfusion Using Optical Coherence Tomography
Grant A Justin1,2,3, Cason B Robbins1,2, Anita Kundu1,2
1Department of Ophthalmology.
Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers & Imaging Retina
|March 17, 2026
Summary
Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) show reduced macular perfusion, indicating potential neurovascular changes. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) may offer noninvasive assessment for PTSD.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked to chronic neurobiological and neurovascular alterations.
- Assessing these changes noninvasively is crucial for understanding and managing PTSD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate macular, choroidal, and peripapillary microvasculature in PTSD patients using OCT and OCTA.
- To explore associations between OCT/OCTA parameters and PTSD, as well as comorbid conditions.
Main Methods:
- Recruited patients with PTSD and matched controls.
- Utilized Zeiss Cirrus HD-5000 Spectral-Domain OCT with AngioPlex for OCT and OCTA measurements.
- Assessed primary outcomes (OCT/OCTA differences in PTSD) and secondary outcomes (associations with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, migraine, TBI).
Main Results:
- PTSD patients exhibited significantly lower macular perfusion density (PD) and vessel density (VD) compared to controls (P ≤ .001).
- Reduced foveal avascular zone circularity was observed in PTSD patients (P < .001).
- PTSD patients with a history of migraine showed decreased PD and VD, unlike those with TBI history.
Conclusions:
- Patients with PTSD demonstrate decreased macular perfusion, suggesting neurovascular changes.
- OCT and OCTA imaging show promise as noninvasive tools for screening and monitoring PTSD interventions.
