title: Thinner changes of the retinal nerve fiber layer in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and patients often have visual disorders. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is characterized by a memory deficit when compared with those of a similar age and education level which could indicate an earlier onset of AD. The aim of this study is to measure the changes of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness of AD and MCI patients in comparison with the normal age controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The RNFL thickness was assessed using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with MCI, AD (mild, moderate and severe) and the age matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The thickness of RNFL in the superior quadrant and total mean values are gradually and significantly decreased from MCI to severe AD when compared to that in the controls. There is also a significant reduction of the retinal nerve fiber layer in the inferior quadrant in severe AD patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that the retinal nerve fiber layer degeneration is paralleled with dementia progression. Owing to its non-invasive and cost effective nature, monitoring RNFL thickness may have a value in assessing disease progression and the efficacy of any treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. Idc@sina.com.
authors.forename: Dachuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 453003, China. zhanglina422008@126.com.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. zhenli5188@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. zhangxuxiang@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Xuxiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. 187297379@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. yhq197225@126.com.
authors.forename: Huiqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. minbaoquan1967@yahoo.cn.
authors.forename: Baoquan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. XinqingZhang@263.net.
authors.forename: Xinqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, SW10 9NH, UK. d.ma@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Daqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. louiselu1964@163.com.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology