Association of Central Retinal Arteriolar and Venular Equivalents with Brain-aging and Macular Ganglion Cell-inner Plexiform Layer Thickness

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in aging are growing public health concerns. This study investigates associations between central retinal arteriolar and venular equivalents (CRAE, CRVE) and brain-aging, a sensory and cognitive test composite measure, and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) thickness, a biomarker of neurodegeneration.

Methods

Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS) participants are adult children (baseline (2005–2008) age 21–84 years) of the population-based Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study participants. Follow-up occurred every 5 years. In 2010–2013, fundus photographs were used to measure retinal vessels. A brain-aging score was constructed by principal component analysis using sensorineural and cognitive data. Associations between incident brain-aging and vessel measures were investigated using logistic regression. Associations between CRAE and CRVE and mGCIPL thickness, measured in 2015–2017, were also investigated.

Results

Participants (N = 2381; mean age: 53.9 years (SD = 9.8); 54% women) had a mean CRAE and CRVE of 148.8 µm (SD = 14.5) and 221.7 µm (SD = 20.7), respectively. Among those without ocular conditions, wider CRAE was associated with decreased 5-year brain-aging risk (33% per SD CRAE increase). Both vessel measures were independently associated with mGCIPL thickness. The mGCIPL thickness increased by approximately 1.7 µm and 2.0 µm per SD increase in CRAE and CRVE, respectively.

Discussion

The association of CRAE with incident brain-aging indicates its potential use as a screening tool among those without eye disease. The associations between CRAE and CRVE and mGCIPL thickness indicate narrower vasculature could affect neuronal health. These associations point to potential usefulness of retinal vessel measurements to identify people at higher risk of sensorineural declines and neurodegeneration.

KEYWORDS:

• Neurodegeneration
• cognition
• aging
• brain-aging
• epidemiology
• retinal vessels
• CRAE
• CRVE

Disclaimer

The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the National Institute on Aging, the National Eye Institute, Research to Prevent Blindness, or the National Institutes of Health.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by award [R01AG021917] from the National Institute on Aging and the National Eye Institute (Dr Cruickshanks), by the University of Wisconsin - Madison Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education with funding from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, and by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness awarded to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.