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. 2015 Dec 18:9:479.
doi: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00479. eCollection 2015.

Association Between Alzheimer's Disease and Glaucoma: A Study Based on Heidelberg Retinal Tomography and Frequency Doubling Technology Perimetry

Massimo Cesareo  1 , Alessio Martucci  1 , Elena Ciuffoletti  1 , Raffaele Mancino  1 , Angelica Cerulli  1 , Roberto P Sorge  2 , Alessandro Martorana  3 , Giuseppe Sancesario  3 , Carlo Nucci  1
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Association Between Alzheimer's Disease and Glaucoma: A Study Based on Heidelberg Retinal Tomography and Frequency Doubling Technology Perimetry

Massimo Cesareo et al. Front Neurosci. .

Abstract

Aim: To assess the frequency of glaucoma-like alterations in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients using Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph III (HRT-3) and Frequency Doubling Technology (FDT) perimetry.

Methods: The study included 51 eyes of 51 AD subjects and 67 eyes of 67 age- and sex-matched controls. Subjects underwent an ophthalmological examination including measurements of intraocular pressure (IOP), Matrix FDT visual field testing, optic nerve head morphology and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLt) assessment by slit-lamp biomicroscopy and HRT-3.

Results: The frequency of alterations was significantly higher in the AD group (27.5 vs. 7.5%; p = 0.003; OR = 4.69). AD patients showed lower IOP (p = 0.000) despite not significantly different values of central corneal thickness (CCT) between the groups (p = 0.336). Of all the stereometric parameters measured by HRT-3, RNFLt was significantly lower in AD patients (p = 0.013). This group also had significantly worse results in terms of Moorfields Regression Analysis (p = 0.027). Matrix showed significantly worse Mean Deviation (MD) (p = 0.000) and Pattern Standard Deviation (PSD) (p = 0.000) values and more altered Glaucoma Hemifield Test (p = 0.006) in AD patients. Pearson's R correlation test showed that Mini Mental State Examination is directly correlated with MD (R = 0.349; p = 0.034) and inversely correlated with PSD (R = -0.357; p = 0.030).

Conclusion: Patients with AD have a higher frequency of glaucoma-like alterations, as detected by the use of HRT-3. These alterations were not associated with elevated IOP or abnormal CCT values.

Keywords: Alzheimer disease; CCT; FDT; HRT-3; RNFL; glaucoma; optic nerve head.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Heidelberg retinal tomograph III (HRT-3) analisys report.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scatter plot of mini mental state examination (mmse) vs. mean deviation (MD).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scatter plot of mini mental state examination (mmse) vs. pattern standard deviation (PSD).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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