Retinal Thinning as a Marker of Early Untreated Parkinson Disease

A pilot study supports a possible association.

Researchers examined a potential relationship between retinal thinning and nigral dopaminergic loss in newly diagnosed Parkinson disease (PD) in 49 patients with PD and 54 age-matched controls. The PD group had ophthalmologic examinations, macula optical coherence tomography scans, N-(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)-2-carbomethoxy-3-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane positron emission tomography (PET), and 3T MRI. Additionally, the PD group had inner retinal layer thinning and microperimetric responses measured. Retinal layer thickness and volume were measured in both groups.

In the PD group, retinal layer thinning was present in the temporal and inferior regions and was most prominent in the inner plexiform and ganglion cell layers. The thickness was negativel…

Reviewing Author

Michael S. Okun, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America

Speaker’s BureauMedscape/WebMD CME, Movement Disorders Society CME, American Academy of Neurology CME

RoyaltiesBooks4Patients; Demos; Cambridge; Taylor and Francis; Robert Rose; Public Affairs

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; Parkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America; University of Florida Foundation

Editorial BoardsTremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements; JAMA Neurology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesParkinson’s Foundation (Medical Advisor)