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Assessing outer retinal and choroidal changes in scd: potential for high-risk screening using SS-OCTA
Rong Gao, Suyun Rao, Siyuan Cheng, Zhenxiang Gong, Bitao Bu, Li Ba, Xufang Sun, Min Zhang. Translational psychiatry, 2025-11-29
Topic: Plasma and spinal-fluid biomarkers
Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) serves as an initial symptom of preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD). The accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) is acknowledged as a critical risk factor for the eventual progression to mild cognitive impairment or dementia in individuals with SCD, highlighting the necessity for early detection and intervention. Previous studies have identified the retina and choriocapillaris as potential biomarkers for AD; however, these investigations have not thoroughly examined large and medium-sized choroidal vessels. Ultra-wide swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA), an innovative noninvasive imaging modality, facilitates rapid and precise quantitative assessment of retinal and choroidal boundaries and vasculature through dynamic scanning, encompassing large and medium-sized choroidal vessels. This study aims to characterize the outer retinal and choroidal vasculature and structure in individuals with SCD, examine the correlation between altered choroidal vasculature parameters and amyloid burden, and the presence of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele in SCD participants, to identify potential ocular biomarkers for high-risk SCD screening. In this study, 57 individuals with SCD and 45 matched normal controls were enrolled. Ultra-wide SS-OCTA was employed to assess the thickness of the outer retina and choroid and the blood flow within the choriocapillaris and large, medium-sized choroidal vessels. 18F-Florbetapir positron emission tomography scans were performed to classify amyloid-positive-SCD (Aβ + SCD) and amyloid-negative-SCD (Aβ-SCD) groups. Plasma Aβ42/40 and APOE ε4 genotypes were also measured. Compared with normal controls, individuals with SCD exhibited a significant increase in the choroidal vessel index and a reduction in outer retinal thickness. The Aβ + SCD group demonstrated an elevated choriocapillaris flow area relative to the Aβ- SCD group. Moreover, a negative correlation was observed between the choriocapillaris flow area and plasma Aβ42/40 levels in the SCD cohort. Among SCD participants, APOE ε4 carriers displayed increased choriocapillaris flow area and choroidal vessel volume compared to APOE ε4 non-carriers. Our findings provide intriguing insights into the relationship between amyloid pathology and changes in the choriocapillaris flow area. The choroid may serve as a potential biomarker for screening Aβ + SCD.
Key findings
- Compared with normal controls, individuals with SCD exhibited a significant increase in the choroidal vessel index and a reduction in outer retinal thickness.
- The Aβ + SCD group demonstrated an elevated choriocapillaris flow area relative to the Aβ- SCD group.
- Among SCD participants, APOE ε4 carriers displayed increased choriocapillaris flow area and choroidal vessel volume compared to APOE ε4 non-carriers.
- Our findings provide intriguing insights into the relationship between amyloid pathology and changes in the choriocapillaris flow area.
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Study details
- Participants57
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 30 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 54 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Translational psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 57 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41315191) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 30 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 30 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 54 out of 100. |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Gao, R., Rao, S., Cheng, S., Gong, Z., Bu, B., Ba, L., et al. (2025). Assessing outer retinal and choroidal changes in scd: potential for high-risk screening using SS-OCTA. Translational psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03781-x
Vancouver
Gao R, Rao S, Cheng S, Gong Z, Bu B, Ba L, et al. Assessing outer retinal and choroidal changes in scd: potential for high-risk screening using SS-OCTA. Translational psychiatry. 2025. doi:10.1038/s41398-025-03781-x. PMID: 41315191.
BibTeX
@article{gao2025-41315191,
author = {Gao, Rong and Rao, Suyun and Cheng, Siyuan and Gong, Zhenxiang and Bu, Bitao and Ba, Li and Sun, Xufang and Zhang, Min},
title = {{Assessing outer retinal and choroidal changes in scd: potential for high-risk screening using SS-OCTA}},
journal = {Translational psychiatry},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1038/s41398-025-03781-x},
pmid = {41315191},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03781-x}
}