6 papers7 findings
Cognitive function
no changein humans1
Retinal thickness has no effect on cognitive function in humans (f 2 <0 in 73–91% of models).
“Adding retinal thickness actually slightly lowered the explanatory ability of 73–91% of OLS and PLS models respectively in all participants (f 2 <0).”
Humansall participantsretinan = 133
AAIC 2025 abstract23 Dec 2025
Schizophrenia
downin humans1
Schizophrenia decreases retinal thickness in humans.
“this effect was greatest in SZ and disorder-specific macular subfields”
Humanscompared to healthy controls
Estimating Accelerated Retinal Decline in Mental Health Disorders Through Normative Modeling
Schizophrenia bulletin27 Oct 2025
Mental health disorders
downin humans1
Mental health disorders decrease retinal thickness in humans.
“Individuals with a mental health disorder showed more pronounced retinal thinning”
Humanscompared to healthy controls
Estimating Accelerated Retinal Decline in Mental Health Disorders Through Normative Modeling
Schizophrenia bulletin27 Oct 2025
NfL
downin humans1
NfL is associated with retinal thickness in humans (r = -0.7 to -0.9, p < 0.05).
“The amyloid‐positive groups retinal thicknesses across various regions had stronger negative associations of GFAP and NFL ( r = ‐0.7 to ‐0.9, p = <0.05) than the amyloid‐negative group ( r = ‐0.63 to ‐0.8, p = <0.05).”
Humansamyloid-positive individualsretinan = 5
AAIC 2025 abstract25 Dec 2025
Glial fibrillary acidic protein
downin humans1
Glial fibrillary acidic protein is associated with retinal thickness in humans (r = -0.7 to -0.9, p < 0.05).
“The amyloid‐positive groups retinal thicknesses across various regions had stronger negative associations of GFAP and NFL ( r = ‐0.7 to ‐0.9, p = <0.05) than the amyloid‐negative group ( r = ‐0.63 to ‐0.8, p = <0.05).”
Humansamyloid-positive individualsretinan = 5
AAIC 2025 abstract25 Dec 2025
Centiloid score
downin humans1
Centiloid score is associated with retinal thickness in humans (r = -0.71 to -1, p < 0.05).
“where the amyloid‐positive group had negative correlations in both macular and peripapillary regions ( r = ‐0.71 to –1, p = <0.05).”
Humanscognitively normal individualsretina
AAIC 2025 abstract25 Dec 2025
Cognitive function
upin humans1
Retinal thickness predicts cognitive function in humans (f 2 = 0.04–0.13).
“The contribution of retinal thickness towards estimating cognitive measures was markedly improved in the AD subgroup using PLS to estimate MoCA total score and composite scores of executive functions”
HumansAlzheimer diseaseretinan = 31
AAIC 2025 abstract23 Dec 2025
In 28,657 adults, higher brain care scores were linked to thicker retinal layers, and each five-unit increase was tied to a smaller retinal age gap.In 28,657 adults, higher brain care scores were linked to thicker retinal layers, and each five-unit increase was tied to a smaller retinal age gap.
Across 46,836 adults, each standard deviation increase in retinal nerve fiber layer asymmetry was linked to hazard ratios from ~1.07 for atrial fibrillation to 1.15 for…Across 46,836 adults, each standard deviation increase in retinal nerve fiber layer asymmetry was linked to hazard ratios from ~1.07 for atrial fibrillation to 1.15 for heart failure.