Association between pseudoexfoliation and Alzheimer's disease-related brain atrophy. 2023

Won Cheol Jeong, and Jin-Young Min, and Tae Gu Kang, and Heewon Bae
Department of Neurology, Veterans Medical Research Institute, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome is an age-related disorder characterized by the accumulation of extracellular material in the anterior eye segment. PEX pathogenesis is not fully understood, but amyloid which accumulates in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a PEX component. PEX deposition shares features with amyloid aggregation in AD, and brain atrophy is a common AD feature, with β-amyloid accumulation among contributing factors. This study investigated whether PEX syndrome is associated with AD-related brain atrophy. We reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with PEX at the Veterans Health Service Medical Center between January 2015 and August 2021. This retrospective cohort study included 48 patients with PEX and 48 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Patients with PEX were divided into two groups: with and without glaucoma. The main outcome measure was brain atrophy, using a visual rating scale, and AD incidence. Brain atrophy was measured using the Scheltens scale for medial temporal atrophy, the posterior cortical atrophy scale for parietal atrophy, and the Pasquier scale for global cortical atrophy. The percentage of participants with medial temporal atrophy was 56.3% in the PEX group and 35.4% in the control group. The global cortical atrophy and parietal atrophy scores were significantly higher in the PEX group (P<0.05), whereas the PEX and PEX glaucoma groups showed no difference. Among the 96 participants, 16 and 5 participants in the PEX and control groups, respectively, were diagnosed with dementia. Patients with PEX glaucoma tended to have lower Mini-Mental State Examination scores, indicating impaired cognitive function, than those without glaucoma. PEX is associated with brain atrophy, reflecting the risk of developing AD. Patients with PEX glaucoma may present with advanced AD stages. Our results suggest that PEX may be a predictor of AD.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D005901 Glaucoma An ocular disease, occurring in many forms, having as its primary characteristics an unstable or a sustained increase in the intraocular pressure which the eye cannot withstand without damage to its structure or impairment of its function. The consequences of the increased pressure may be manifested in a variety of symptoms, depending upon type and severity, such as excavation of the optic disk, hardness of the eyeball, corneal anesthesia, reduced visual acuity, seeing of colored halos around lights, disturbed dark adaptation, visual field defects, and headaches. (Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed) Glaucomas
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000544 Alzheimer Disease A degenerative disease of the BRAIN characterized by the insidious onset of DEMENTIA. Impairment of MEMORY, judgment, attention span, and problem solving skills are followed by severe APRAXIAS and a global loss of cognitive abilities. The condition primarily occurs after age 60, and is marked pathologically by severe cortical atrophy and the triad of SENILE PLAQUES; NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES; and NEUROPIL THREADS. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1049-57) Acute Confusional Senile Dementia,Alzheimer's Diseases,Dementia, Alzheimer Type,Dementia, Senile,Presenile Alzheimer Dementia,Senile Dementia, Alzheimer Type,Alzheimer Dementia,Alzheimer Disease, Early Onset,Alzheimer Disease, Late Onset,Alzheimer Sclerosis,Alzheimer Syndrome,Alzheimer Type Senile Dementia,Alzheimer's Disease,Alzheimer's Disease, Focal Onset,Alzheimer-Type Dementia (ATD),Dementia, Presenile,Dementia, Primary Senile Degenerative,Early Onset Alzheimer Disease,Familial Alzheimer Disease (FAD),Focal Onset Alzheimer's Disease,Late Onset Alzheimer Disease,Primary Senile Degenerative Dementia,Senile Dementia, Acute Confusional,Alzheimer Dementias,Alzheimer Disease, Familial (FAD),Alzheimer Diseases,Alzheimer Type Dementia,Alzheimer Type Dementia (ATD),Alzheimers Diseases,Dementia, Alzheimer,Dementia, Alzheimer-Type (ATD),Familial Alzheimer Diseases (FAD),Presenile Dementia,Sclerosis, Alzheimer,Senile Dementia
D001284 Atrophy Decrease in the size of a cell, tissue, organ, or multiple organs, associated with a variety of pathological conditions such as abnormal cellular changes, ischemia, malnutrition, or hormonal changes. Atrophies
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective
D017889 Exfoliation Syndrome The deposition of flaky, translucent fibrillar material most conspicuous on the anterior lens capsule and pupillary margin but also in both surfaces of the iris, the zonules, trabecular meshwork, ciliary body, corneal endothelium, and orbital blood vessels. It sometimes forms a membrane on the anterior iris surface. Exfoliation refers to the shedding of pigment by the iris. (Newell, Ophthalmology, 7th ed, p380) Glaucoma Capsulare,Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome,Exfoliation Glaucoma,Exfoliative Syndrome,Pseudo-Exfoliation Syndrome,Pseudoexfoliation Of The Lens,Exfoliation Syndromes,Exfoliative Syndromes,Pseudo Exfoliation Syndrome,Pseudo-Exfoliation Syndromes,Pseudoexfoliation Syndromes,Syndrome, Exfoliation,Syndrome, Exfoliative,Syndrome, Pseudo-Exfoliation,Syndrome, Pseudoexfoliation,Syndromes, Exfoliation,Syndromes, Exfoliative,Syndromes, Pseudo-Exfoliation,Syndromes, Pseudoexfoliation

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