Retinal vascular fractal dimension in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS

卷:259

Article

Appaji, Abhishek¹  Nagendra, Bhargavi²  Chako, Dona Maria²  Padmanabha, Ananth¹  Hiremath, Chaitra V.²  Jacob, Arpitha²  Varambally, Shivarama²  Kesavan, Muralidharan²  Venkatasubramanian, Ganesan²  Rao, Shyam Vasudeva^1,3  Webers, Carroll A. B.³  Berendschot, Tos T. J. M.³  Rao, Naren P.² 

[1] BMS Coll Engn, Dept Med Elect, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

[2] Natl Inst Mental Hlth & Neurosci, Dept Psychiat, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

[3] Maastricht Univ, Univ Eye Clin Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands

关键词: Retinal vasculature;    Fractal dimension;    Fundus;    Schizophrenia;    Bipolar disorder;    Psychoses;    Neurodevelopment;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jad.2019.08.061

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SCZ), are associated with greater vascular co-morbidities and adverse vascular events. Owing to shared developmental origins and morphology, retinal vasculature is a proxy assessment measure of the cerebral vasculature. Although retinal vascular fractal dimension (D-f), a measure of vascular geometry and complexity of branching, has been shown to be directly associated with cerebrovascular pathology, it has not been examined in SCZ and BD. Methods: We studied 277 participants (92 healthy volunteers, 98 SCZ, and 87 BD) from 18 to 50 years of age. Images were acquired by trained personnel using a non-mydriatic fundus camera and the retinal vascular D-f was calculated by the box-counting method using an automated algorithm. The average D-f across the left and right eyes were calculated. Results: Both SCZ and BD had significantly increased D-f compared to HV despite controlling for possible confounding factors. However, there was no significant difference between SCZ and BD. These findings suggest abnormal retinal vascular D-f in psychoses. Limitations: The study design was cross-sectional, and patients were on medications. Confound of lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise, if any, was not controlled. Sub-group analysis between BD-I and BD-II was not performed in view of the small sample. Conclusions: Considering the easy accessibility, affordability, and non-invasive nature of the examination, retinal vascular D-f could serve as a surrogate marker for cerebral vascular abnormality and could potentially identify BD and SCZ patients at risk of developing adverse vascular events.

【 授权许可】

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