Ocular microvascular alterations in epileptic patients.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neurology
• Vascular Biology

Background:

• The brain and eyes share neurovascular pathways, implying ocular perfusion changes can affect brain function and neurodegeneration.
• Epilepsy involves complex neurological mechanisms, but its vascular underpinnings are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between epilepsy and ocular microvasculature using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in adults.
• To assess differences in retinal microvascular parameters between epilepsy patients and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• An observational, cross-sectional study involving 22 epilepsy patients and 21 healthy controls.
• OCTA was used to evaluate vessel density (VD) in retinal capillary plexuses, foveal retinal thickness (FRT), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) areas, and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in superficial/deep retinal capillary VD, FRT, or FAZ areas were found between groups.
• Epilepsy patients exhibited significantly lower superior quadrant RNFL thickness.
• Reduced optic disc whole and peripapillary capillary VD were observed in the epilepsy group compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Vascular dysfunction may contribute to epilepsy pathophysiology, beyond its neurological basis.
• OCTA shows potential as a biomarker for detecting ocular microvascular alterations in epilepsy.