In the future, images of the retina could warn of a person’s increased risk of stroke and dementia, making it possible to take preventive measures.
These findings come from preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2021.
Retinopathy is damage to the retina from injury or disease, commonly associated with diabetes. People with severe retinopathy are more likely to have a diseased-looking brain on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Retinal tissue has the highest consumption of oxygen in the body, and is the most vulnerable to oxidative stress. Most causes of retinopathy involve damage to the retinal and choroidal circulatory systems.
Study Lead Author Michelle P Lin, MD., MPH, Neurologist at Mayo Clinic explained:”The retina is a window to the brain. A retinal photo that shows a magnified look at the back of the eye, including the retina and optic nerve, is cheaper and faster to perform than an MRI, so we’re wondering if it might be a good screening tool to see who could benefit from a referral to a neurologist for a brain MRI.”
In addition to the ophthalmologist’s office, retinal photos could be taken by a smartphone camera or via a smartphone adapter, Lin said.
Researchers explored the association of retinopathy with stroke, dementia, and the risk of death in 5543 adults who had participated in the annual US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2005 to 2008. Interviews were conducted with the participants on a number of aspects of their medical history and health behaviours. Additionally, they received a retinal scan photo to look for signs of retinopathy.
Compared with participants not diagnosed with retinopathy, those with retinopathy were more than twice as likely to have had a stroke. They were also nearly 70% more likely to have dementia; and more likely to die within the next 10 years, with increasing severity of retinopathy conferring a higher risk of death. The odds were calculated after adjusting for risk factors such as age, hypertension, diabetes and smoking.
“If you have retinopathy, work closely with your primary care doctor to alter your vascular risk factors and ask to be screened for cognitive impairment. You may be referred to a neurologist for evaluation and possibly a brain MRI,” said Dr Lin, who is also an assistant professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
Source: News-Medical.Net
