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Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Retinal Imaging Associations With Burden of Small Vessel Disease and Amyloid Positivity in the Brain
Bermudez C, Lesnick TG, More SS, Ramanan VK, Knopman DS, Rabinstein AA, Cogswell PM, Jack CR et al.. Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society, 2024-08-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background Alzheimer disease (AD) and other dementias are associated with vascular changes and amyloid deposition, which may be reflected as density changes in the retinal capillaries. Results Associations between OCTA and neuroimaging metrics were restricted to the fovea. Similarly, participants with amyloid PET positivity had significantly decreased capillary density in the superficial fovea ( P = 0.027) and deep fovea ( P = 0.03) but higher density in the superficial parafovea ( P = 0.038). Participants with amyloid PET positivity also had a significantly larger FAZ ( P = 0.031), whereas in those with high WMH burden the difference did not reach statistical significance ( P = 0.075). Conclusions The associations of lower foveal capillary density with cerebral WMH and amyloid positivity suggest that further research is warranted to evaluate for shared mechanisms of disease between small vessel disease and AD pathologies.
Key findings
- Background Alzheimer disease (AD) and other dementias are associated with vascular changes and amyloid deposition, which may be reflected as density changes in the retinal capillaries.
- Results Associations between OCTA and neuroimaging metrics were restricted to the fovea.
- Similarly, participants with amyloid PET positivity had significantly decreased capillary density in the superficial fovea ( P = 0.027) and deep fovea ( P = 0.03) but higher density in the superficial parafovea ( P = 0.038).
- Participants with amyloid PET positivity also had a significantly larger FAZ ( P = 0.031), whereas in those with high WMH burden the difference did not reach statistical significance ( P = 0.075).
- Conclusions The associations of lower foveal capillary density with cerebral WMH and amyloid positivity suggest that further research is warranted to evaluate for shared mechanisms of disease between small vessel disease and AD pathologies.
Why it matters
Lower capillary density in the fovea of the eye was associated with amyloid PET positivity and with small vessel disease in the brain. This is early research into possible shared mechanisms and does not show any treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's.
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Study details
- Participants41
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology: journal h-index 91 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” 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 | 41 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 14 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 14 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author John J. Chen: h-index 15 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39085998) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1097/wno.0000000000002230
- PubMed: 39085998
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Bermudez, C., Lesnick, T. G., More, S. S., Ramanan, V. K., Knopman, D. S., Rabinstein, A. A., et al. (2025). Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Retinal Imaging Associations With Burden of Small Vessel Disease and Amyloid Positivity in the Brain. Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. https://doi.org/10.1097/wno.0000000000002230
Vancouver
Bermudez C, Lesnick TG, More SS, Ramanan VK, Knopman DS, Rabinstein AA, et al. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Retinal Imaging Associations With Burden of Small Vessel Disease and Amyloid Positivity in the Brain. Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. 2025. doi:10.1097/wno.0000000000002230. PMID: 39085998.
BibTeX
@article{bermudez2025-39085998,
author = {Bermudez, C. and Lesnick, T. G. and More, S. S. and Ramanan, V. K. and Knopman, D. S. and Rabinstein, A. A. and Cogswell, P. M. and Jack, C. R. and others},
title = {{Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Retinal Imaging Associations With Burden of Small Vessel Disease and Amyloid Positivity in the Brain}},
journal = {Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1097/wno.0000000000002230},
pmid = {39085998},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/wno.0000000000002230}
}
Studies this one cites
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