Retinal thickness is associated with global cognition and executive function in mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to cognitive impairment and dementia, and retinal imaging is being explored as a biomarker. We examined the differences in retinal thickness by optical coherence tomography (OCT) between 47 participants with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (Aβ+MCI) and 23 age-matched controls, as well as associations between cognition and OCT. There was no significant difference in retinal thickness between groups. However, retinal measures were robustly associated with global cognition and executive function in those with Aβ+MCI. Further studies with larger samples are needed to understand the clinical utility of OCT in AD.
The paper
West Virginia University
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports, 23 Jul 2026, Open access



