Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011:5:887-90.
doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S22485. Epub 2011 Jun 28.

Alzheimer's disease and primary open-angle glaucoma: is there a connection?

Fani Tsolaki  1 , Eleni Gogaki, Sotiria Tiganita, Christina Skatharoudi, Chrysanthi Lopatatzidi, Fotios Topouzis, Magdalini Tsolaki
Affiliations

Alzheimer's disease and primary open-angle glaucoma: is there a connection?

Fani Tsolaki et al. Clin Ophthalmol. 2011.

Abstract

Aim: To present, through a thorough literature research, current and older scientific efforts to investigate the putative association between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and glaucoma, especially primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods: We included in our review article epidemiological, experimental and clinical laboratory studies.

Results: While many authors support the existence of a strong correlation between the AD and POAG, based on epidemiological, genetic and immunohistochemical data, others present contradictory results, leaving the issue unresolved.

Conclusion: Further research, probably targeted towards genetic parameters and based on large, multicenter studies has yet to be conducted. It is the authors' opinion however, that the existing data already justify the need for at least some degree of elevated clinical alertness for the occurrence of AD in patients with glaucoma and of glaucoma in patients with AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; amyloid beta; apolipoprotein E; cerebrospinal fluid pressure; primary open-angle glaucoma; review article.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Kalaria RN, Maestre GE, Arizaga R, et al. Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia in developing countries: prevalence, management, and risk factors. Lancet Neurol. 2008;7(9):812–826. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Quigley HA. Glaucoma. Lancet. 2011;377(9774):1367–1377. - PubMed
    1. Quigley HA, Broman AT. The number of people with glaucoma worldwide in 2010 and 2020. Br J Ophthalmol. 2006;90(3):262–267. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Chandra V, Bharucha NE, Schoenberg BS. Conditions associated with Alzheimer’s disease at death: case-control study. Neurology. 1986;36(2):209–211. - PubMed
    1. Bayer AU, Ferrari F, Erb C. High occurrence rate of glaucoma among patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Eur Neurol. 2002;47(3):165–168. - PubMed