Neurodegenerative changes of the retina in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer's disease is currently the leading cause of dementia. In most cases, it is diagnosed already at late stages, which determines an unfavorable prognosis for patients. In this regard, it is necessary to search for new markers of the disease for diagnosis at an early stage. Retinal changes can act as such a marker. However, data on the condition of the retina in patients with Alzheimer's disease are contradictory in the modern literature. The most typical neurodegenerative changes of the retina in Alzheimer's disease are thinning of the macular region, local deposits of amyloid, loss of thickness of the ganglion cell layer in the macula, changes in the microvascular bed of the retina, as well as thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer. However, a number of authors have identified similar retinal changes in other diseases accompanied by dementia. Some neurodegenerative retinal changes can be used as markers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, but further research is needed to assess the diagnostic value, sensitivity and specificity of these markers.