Association between choroidal microvasculature in the eye and Alzheimer's disease risk in cognitively healthy mid‐life adults: A pilot study

Abstract INTRODUCTION We explored associations between measurements of the ocular choroid microvasculature and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. METHODS We measured the choroidal vasculature appearing in optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of 69 healthy, mid‐life individuals in the PREVENT De...

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Main Authors: Jamie Burke, Samuel Gibbon, Audrey Low, Charlene Hamid, Megan Reid‐Schachter, Graciela Muniz‐Terrera, Craig W. Ritchie, Baljean Dhillon, John T. O'Brien, Stuart King, Ian J. C. MacCormick, Thomas J. MacGillivray
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70075
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author Jamie Burke
Samuel Gibbon
Audrey Low
Charlene Hamid
Megan Reid‐Schachter
Graciela Muniz‐Terrera
Craig W. Ritchie
Baljean Dhillon
John T. O'Brien
Stuart King
Ian J. C. MacCormick
Thomas J. MacGillivray
author_facet Jamie Burke
Samuel Gibbon
Audrey Low
Charlene Hamid
Megan Reid‐Schachter
Graciela Muniz‐Terrera
Craig W. Ritchie
Baljean Dhillon
John T. O'Brien
Stuart King
Ian J. C. MacCormick
Thomas J. MacGillivray
author_sort Jamie Burke
collection DOAJ
description Abstract INTRODUCTION We explored associations between measurements of the ocular choroid microvasculature and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. METHODS We measured the choroidal vasculature appearing in optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of 69 healthy, mid‐life individuals in the PREVENT Dementia cohort. The cohort was prospectively split into low‐, medium‐, and high‐risk groups based on the presence of known risk factors (apolipoprotein E [APOE] ε4 genotype and family history of dementia [FH]). We used ordinal logistic regression to test for cross‐sectional associations between choroidal measurements and AD risk. RESULTS Choroidal vasculature was progressively larger between ordinal risk groups, and significantly associated with risk group prediction. APOE ε4 carriers had thicker choroids and larger vascularity compared to non‐carriers. Similar trends were observed for those with a FH. DISCUSSIONS Our results suggest a potential link between the choroidal vasculature and AD risk. However, these exploratory findings should be replicated in a larger sample. Highlights Ocular choroidal microvasculature is of interest in relation to neurodegeneration due to its autonomic response to systemic, pathophysiological change. Choroidal changes in the prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are unexplored. The PREVENT Dementia cohort offers a unique, non‐invasive study of the microvasculature in mid‐life individuals at increased risk for developing AD. Significantly increased ocular choroidal vasculature was associated with increased risk (apolipoprotein E carrier and/or family history of dementia) for AD. These exploratory results suggest a potential association between the ocular choroidal vasculature and AD risk. However, findings should be replicated in a larger sample.
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spelling doaj-art-2ac731f406864cf796ee14a9ae7f13872025-08-20T02:09:58ZengWileyAlzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring2352-87292025-01-01171n/an/a10.1002/dad2.70075Association between choroidal microvasculature in the eye and Alzheimer's disease risk in cognitively healthy mid‐life adults: A pilot studyJamie Burke0Samuel Gibbon1Audrey Low2Charlene Hamid3Megan Reid‐Schachter4Graciela Muniz‐Terrera5Craig W. Ritchie6Baljean Dhillon7John T. O'Brien8Stuart King9Ian J. C. MacCormick10Thomas J. MacGillivray11Robert O Curle Ophthalmology Suite Institute for Regeneration and Repair University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UKRobert O Curle Ophthalmology Suite Institute for Regeneration and Repair University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UKDepartment of Psychiatry University of Cambridge Cambridge UKEdinburgh Imaging, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UKEdinburgh Imaging, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UKHeritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Ohio University Athens Ohio USACentre for Clinical Brain Sciences Chancellor's Building Edinburgh UKRobert O Curle Ophthalmology Suite Institute for Regeneration and Repair University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UKDepartment of Psychiatry University of Cambridge Cambridge UKSchool of Mathematics, University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UKRobert O Curle Ophthalmology Suite Institute for Regeneration and Repair University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UKRobert O Curle Ophthalmology Suite Institute for Regeneration and Repair University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UKAbstract INTRODUCTION We explored associations between measurements of the ocular choroid microvasculature and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. METHODS We measured the choroidal vasculature appearing in optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of 69 healthy, mid‐life individuals in the PREVENT Dementia cohort. The cohort was prospectively split into low‐, medium‐, and high‐risk groups based on the presence of known risk factors (apolipoprotein E [APOE] ε4 genotype and family history of dementia [FH]). We used ordinal logistic regression to test for cross‐sectional associations between choroidal measurements and AD risk. RESULTS Choroidal vasculature was progressively larger between ordinal risk groups, and significantly associated with risk group prediction. APOE ε4 carriers had thicker choroids and larger vascularity compared to non‐carriers. Similar trends were observed for those with a FH. DISCUSSIONS Our results suggest a potential link between the choroidal vasculature and AD risk. However, these exploratory findings should be replicated in a larger sample. Highlights Ocular choroidal microvasculature is of interest in relation to neurodegeneration due to its autonomic response to systemic, pathophysiological change. Choroidal changes in the prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are unexplored. The PREVENT Dementia cohort offers a unique, non‐invasive study of the microvasculature in mid‐life individuals at increased risk for developing AD. Significantly increased ocular choroidal vasculature was associated with increased risk (apolipoprotein E carrier and/or family history of dementia) for AD. These exploratory results suggest a potential association between the ocular choroidal vasculature and AD risk. However, findings should be replicated in a larger sample.https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70075apolipoprotein E ε4choroiddementiaoptical coherence tomographyretina
spellingShingle Jamie Burke
Samuel Gibbon
Audrey Low
Charlene Hamid
Megan Reid‐Schachter
Graciela Muniz‐Terrera
Craig W. Ritchie
Baljean Dhillon
John T. O'Brien
Stuart King
Ian J. C. MacCormick
Thomas J. MacGillivray
Association between choroidal microvasculature in the eye and Alzheimer's disease risk in cognitively healthy mid‐life adults: A pilot study
Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring
apolipoprotein E ε4
choroid
dementia
optical coherence tomography
retina
title Association between choroidal microvasculature in the eye and Alzheimer's disease risk in cognitively healthy mid‐life adults: A pilot study
title_full Association between choroidal microvasculature in the eye and Alzheimer's disease risk in cognitively healthy mid‐life adults: A pilot study
title_fullStr Association between choroidal microvasculature in the eye and Alzheimer's disease risk in cognitively healthy mid‐life adults: A pilot study
title_full_unstemmed Association between choroidal microvasculature in the eye and Alzheimer's disease risk in cognitively healthy mid‐life adults: A pilot study
title_short Association between choroidal microvasculature in the eye and Alzheimer's disease risk in cognitively healthy mid‐life adults: A pilot study
title_sort association between choroidal microvasculature in the eye and alzheimer s disease risk in cognitively healthy mid life adults a pilot study
topic apolipoprotein E ε4
choroid
dementia
optical coherence tomography
retina
url https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70075
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