Retinal Neurodegeneration clinical trials

Retinal Neurodegeneration in Type 2 Diabetes as Biomarker for Alzheimer´s Disease

A clear association between type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been reported. This association is independent of vascular impairment, and therefore, it could be attributed to neurodegeneration triggered or accelerated by diabetes itself. At present there are no methods to identify T2D patients at risk for developing AD. The retina shares many features with the brain and, therefore, has been suggested as an easily accessible way of examining pathology in the brain. In fact, many patients with AD present retinal abnormalities. However, the diagnosis of diabetes, a condition frequently associated with retinal neurodegeneration, has not been considered. On this basis, the final aim of this proposal is to identify diabetic patients at risk for developing AD based on the assessment of retinal neurodegeneration by means of non-invasive tests. Specific aims: 1) To compare the prevalence of morphological and functional abnormalities related to retinal neurodegeneration among three groups of T2D patients: patients with AD, patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and patients without AD or MCI. 2) To assess whether the retinal neurodegenerative features are related to severity of AD. 3) To explore whether the combined retinal neurodegeneration in diabetic patients with AD has a different functional and/or morphological pattern in comparison with neurodegeneration secondary to diabetes alone. Methods: Case-control study. Retinal neurodegeneration will be assessed by mutifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The potential confounders will be considered in data analyses. Feasibility: A unique multidisciplinary consortium has been created in order to warrant the feasibility of the project Expected impact: This innovative approach will fill a gap that currently exist in the health care system and will reduce the economic burden associated with T2D patients with AD. In addition, this project would be the backbone for future prospective studies.