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Insight into the Brain: Application of the Retinal Microvasculature as a Biomarker for Cerebrovascular Diseases through Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The present article serves as a comprehensive review of the published research literature surrounding the retinal microvasculature, characterized through the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and its potential clinical value for understanding and detecting cerebrovascular diseases.

Recent Findings

Studies from the past 3 years (2020–2023) have identified a degeneration of the retinal microvasculature, commonly defined through the loss of vascular density, in ischemic stroke, dementia, carotid artery stenosis, cerebral small vessel disease, and a series of rare, potentially inherited cerebrovascular disorders. These retinal microvascular changes often correlate with structure and functional changes in the brain and sometimes occur prior to debilitating neurodegeneration.

Summary

While further investigations with longitudinal data and larger sample sizes are necessary, OCTA shows promising results for characterizing the retinal microvasculature as a potential imaging biomarker in reflecting the changes in the cerebral microvasculature for early detection, prevention, and treatment of cerebrovascular diseases.

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Acknowledgement

Current Ophthalmology Reports is grateful to Dr, Basil Williams, for their review of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Liang Wang, Serena Shah & Cristina Nicole Llaneras

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 900 NW 17th Street, Miami, Florida, 33136, USA

    Raquel Goldhardt

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Correspondence to Raquel Goldhardt.

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Raquel Goldhardt received research support by NIH Center Core Grant P30EY014801. The remaining authors have no disclosures.

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Wang, L., Shah, S., Llaneras, C.N. et al. Insight into the Brain: Application of the Retinal Microvasculature as a Biomarker for Cerebrovascular Diseases through Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography. Curr Ophthalmol Rep 12, 1–11 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40135-023-00320-z

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