Effect of aging on foveolar choroidal circulation. 1998

J E Grunwald, and S M Hariprasad, and J DuPont
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of aging on choroidal blood flow (ChBFlow) in the foveolar region of the normal ocular fundus. METHODS Choroidal blood flow was determined using laser Doppler flowmetry. Twenty-nine eyes of 29 normal subjects whose ages ranged from 15 to 76 years (mean+/-SD, 42+/-18 years) were included in this study. Relative choroidal blood velocity (ChBVel), choroidal blood volume (ChBVol), and ChBFlow were determined in the foveolar region by asking the subjects to fixate on the probing laser beam. RESULTS Significant negative correlations were observed between ChBVol and the subject's age (R=-0.52, P=.004) and between ChBFlow and the subject's age (R=-0.54, P=.003). No significant correlation was detected between ChBVel and the subject's age (R=0.07, P=.70). Significant differences were observed in ChBVol and ChBFlow between the younger subjects aged 15 to 45 years (mean+/-SD, 0.48+/-0.20 arbitrary units [AU] and 18.9+/-5.8 AU, respectively) and the older ones aged 46 to 76 years (mean+/-SD, 0.34+/-0.11 AU and 13.3+/-3.3 AU, respectively; unpaired Student t test, P=.04 and P=.007, respectively). CONCLUSIONS In the subjects studied, foveolar ChBFlow decreases with age. This change is probably related to the decrease in density and diameter of the choriocapillaries that occurs with increasing age.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D001775 Blood Circulation The movement of the BLOOD as it is pumped through the CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM. Blood Flow,Circulation, Blood,Blood Flows,Flow, Blood
D001783 Blood Flow Velocity A value equal to the total volume flow divided by the cross-sectional area of the vascular bed. Blood Flow Velocities,Flow Velocities, Blood,Flow Velocity, Blood,Velocities, Blood Flow,Velocity, Blood Flow
D002829 Choroid The thin, highly vascular membrane covering most of the posterior of the eye between the RETINA and SCLERA. Choriocapillaris,Haller Layer,Haller's Layer,Sattler Layer,Sattler's Layer,Choroids
D005260 Female Females
D005584 Fovea Centralis An area approximately 1.5 millimeters in diameter within the macula lutea where the retina thins out greatly because of the oblique shifting of all layers except the pigment epithelium layer. It includes the sloping walls of the fovea (clivus) and contains a few rods in its periphery. In its center (foveola) are the cones most adapted to yield high visual acuity, each cone being connected to only one ganglion cell. (Cline et al., Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults

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