Data · dataset · 2026
Structural, functional and molecular changes at the human peripheral retina
Listed in ZivaHub and Deakin Research Online and DMU Figshare — shown once because both records carry DOI 10.17034/32826329.v1
The retina shares embryological origins and physiological similarities with the brain, offering a non-invasive, high-resolution window into the Central Nervous System (CNS).
Description
Historically, retinal studies have focused mainly on the macula and structural layer thickness. This thesis, however, examines the peripheral retinal changes alongside central microvascular and molecular alterations as potential early indicators of neurodegenerative conditions.
Specifically, it investigates eye-related changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), using Down syndrome (DS) as a genetically predetermined model of disease, as well as Multiple Sclerosis (MS).<br><br>In adults with DS, retinal imaging shows supernumerary retinal vessels, wider vessel calibres with rapid thinning, and a reduced choroidal vascularity index (CVI). Further, microaneurysms and haemorrhages were found exclusively in the far-peripheral retina, potentially reflecting early AD-related amyloid angiopathy.<br><br>In MS, patients showed narrower central retinal venules and reduced venular complexity.
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Peripheral retinal vascular attenuation correlated with faster clinical disability progression. The thesis also identifies a novel "ring-like" spatial redistribution of macular pigment in MS eyes, offering a new potential molecular sign of smouldering neurovascular degeneration.<br><br>Finally, the thesis introduces the REVEAL study, which is underway and aims to temporally track and correlate retinal changes with molecular biofluid markers (blood, tears, and saliva) across DS, mild cognitive impairment, and healthy cohorts.
This research shows us that accessible retinal markers hold significant clinical utility for the early detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases, especially in cohorts with cognitive disabilities.<br><br>This research demonstrates that utilising non-invasive retinal assessments, specifically those that include the peripheral retina, microvascular networks, and spatial molecular profiles, offers a powerful modality for marker identification.
These accessible markers could hold significant clinical utility, assisting gold standard neurological exams for the early detection, prognosis, and longitudinal monitoring of CNS neurodegenerative diseases.<br><br><i>Thesis is embargoed unitl 31 July 2027.</i><br>
Links
Where it is published
- DOI doi.org/10.17034/32826329.v1 ↗
DOI / persistent id · from zivahub uct ac za
Catalogue records · 1
- OAI-PMH record api.figshare.com/v2/oai?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=oai_dc&identifier=oai%3Af… ↗
metadata API · from zivahub uct ac za
Topics
- From keywords
- Earth & Environmental Science · Earth & Environmental Science · Earth & Environmental Science · Life Sciences · Life Sciences · Life Sciences · Medicine & Health · Medicine & Health · Medicine & Health
- Inferred from text
- Disease 75% · Imaging 75% · Longitudinal study 65% · Neurosciences 72%
Provenance · 3 source records, 18 field assertions
| Source | Key | Last seen | Raw |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZivaHub | oai:figshare.com:article/32826329 | 8 d ago | JSON v1 |
| Deakin Research Online | oai:figshare.com:article/32826329 | 8 d ago | JSON v1 |
| DMU Figshare | oai:figshare.com:article/32826329 | 8 d ago | JSON v1 |
| Field | Assertion | Extractor | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| access_level | source · zivahub uct ac za | connector:zivahub_uct_ac_za@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[disease].local:disease:disease | enrichment · zivahub uct ac za | keyword-concept-rules@1.0.0 | title+description (75%) |
| concepts[field].anzsrc:group:3209 | enrichment · zivahub uct ac za | taxonomy-embedding@1.1.0 | title+keywords+description (72%) |
| concepts[field].local:field:earth-environmental | mapping · dro deakin edu au | connector:dro_deakin_edu_au@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[field].local:field:earth-environmental | mapping · figshare dmu ac uk | connector:figshare_dmu_ac_uk@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[field].local:field:earth-environmental | mapping · zivahub uct ac za | connector:zivahub_uct_ac_za@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[field].local:field:life-sciences | mapping · dro deakin edu au | connector:dro_deakin_edu_au@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[field].local:field:life-sciences | mapping · zivahub uct ac za | connector:zivahub_uct_ac_za@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[field].local:field:life-sciences | mapping · figshare dmu ac uk | connector:figshare_dmu_ac_uk@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[field].local:field:medicine-health | mapping · zivahub uct ac za | connector:zivahub_uct_ac_za@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[field].local:field:medicine-health | mapping · dro deakin edu au | connector:dro_deakin_edu_au@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[field].local:field:medicine-health | mapping · figshare dmu ac uk | connector:figshare_dmu_ac_uk@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[method].local:method:longitudinal-study | enrichment · zivahub uct ac za | keyword-concept-rules@1.0.0 | title+description (65%) |
| concepts[modality].local:modality:imaging | enrichment · zivahub uct ac za | keyword-concept-rules@1.0.0 | title+description (75%) |
| description | source · zivahub uct ac za | connector:zivahub_uct_ac_za@1.0.0 | /metadata/dc/description |
| license_text | source · zivahub uct ac za | connector:zivahub_uct_ac_za@1.0.0 | |
| publication_date | source · zivahub uct ac za | connector:zivahub_uct_ac_za@1.0.0 | |
| title | source · zivahub uct ac za | connector:zivahub_uct_ac_za@1.0.0 | /metadata/dc/title |