Abstract
We investigated the association between retinal changes measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and diverse clinical grading scales in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Seventy-four eyes of 74 patients with de novo PD and 53 eyes of age-matched control subjects were included. The thickness of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) were measured. We analyzed the correlations between the clinical PD grading scales and OCT parameters, and between the OCT parameters and volumetric data in the cerebral cortical and subcortical structures. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated for diagnosing cognitive impairment in patients with PD. Statistically significant reductions in the thickness of average, temporal, and inferior pRNFL and overall mGCIPL were observed in patients with PD. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment score was significantly associated with mGCIPL thinning. The AUC of the mGCIPL parameters for diagnosing cognitive impairment in patients with PD ranged from 0.651 to 0.760. Moreover, thinning of the mGCIPL was significantly associated with the volumetric parameters of associated brain structures. Our findings highlight the clinical implications of OCT measurements as a potential biomarker for early detection of cognitive impairment in patients with PD.
Highlights
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in which the main pathologic changes occur in the dopaminergic neurons of substantia nigra[1]
The optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements pertaining to thickness of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), macula, and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer showed significant differences between the two groups
The differences were more pronounced in the thickness of the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL); all parameters were significantly smaller in the PD group than in the control group (P < 0.05) (Table 2)
Summary
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in which the main pathologic changes occur in the dopaminergic neurons of substantia nigra[1]. Patients with PD experience a broad spectrum of motor and non-motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, rigidity, resting tremor, cognitive impairment, hallucinations, depression, sleep disorders, and autonomic dysfunctions. Spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) provides a non-invasive, objective, and reproducible measurement of retinal structures of the eye[6]. Retinal changes measured by OCT have been considered as useful biomarkers in several neurodegenerative diseases, including PD. Previous studies have reported a significant reduction in the thickness of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) in patients with PD compared to normal controls[7,8]. There are limited studies on the clinical correlation of OCT parameters in patients with PD; the significance of retinal measurement in clinical settings remains controversial
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
