SynthesisBMJ open ophthalmology2026
Retinal biomarkers for early Alzheimer's detection: a systematic review of optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings.
Synthesis in BMJ open ophthalmology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Automated Anatomical Landmark Localization in Anterior Segment OCT Images Using an Efficient Deep Learning Framework.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- AI-driven multimodal retinal imaging for early detection and risk stratification of vascular and neurodegenerative diseases.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2026Review
- Inner retinal layer thickness reflects plasma biomarkers in preclinical Alzheimer's disease.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveRetinal biomarkers accessible via non-invasive optical coherence tomography (OCT) could facilitate early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD), complementing current invasive or costly diagnostic methods. This review evaluates the evidence for spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT) and OCT angiography (OCT-A) in identifying retinal changes associated with preclinical and early AD. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We conducted a systematic review registered in PROSPERO and aligned with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE was searched up to April 2025, complemented by reference list screening and citation tracking. Eligible studies assessed SD-OCT and/or OCT-A in biomarker-defined preclinical or early AD, mild cognitive impairment or mild AD. Data were synthesised narratively by disease stage, and methodological quality was appraised with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.
results22 studies met inclusion criteria. Reported alterations included thinning of the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer and retinal ganglion cell layer, macular and choroidal thickness changes and microvascular alterations on OCT-A. However, findings were heterogeneous: some studies observed early thickening or increased vascular density, possibly reflecting inflammatory or compensatory mechanisms, while others reported thinning and rarefaction more consistent with neurodegeneration. Most studies were of moderate quality, limited by small sample sizes, cross-sectional designs and incomplete control for ocular/systemic confounders.
conclusionSD-OCT and OCT-A hold promise as candidate biomarkers of early AD, but current evidence remains variable, non-specific and methodologically constrained. Further research is needed to standardise imaging protocols, validate findings in biomarker-confirmed longitudinal cohorts and compare OCT-based measures across dementia subtypes. Integration with other biomarkers (eg, plasma or metabolomics) may improve diagnostic specificity and support translation of OCT/OCT-A into clinical practice. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024600456.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.