Chen S F, Chang Y, Wu J C
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C.
Curr Eye Res. 2001 Dec;23(6):422-34. doi: 10.1076/ceyr.23.6.422.6963.
To estimate the distributions in width as well as in density of macular pigment (MP) in humans at different ages, imaging fundus reflectometry was employed as a tool to reach our aim.
Imaging fundus reflectometry was used to measure the macular pigment distribution in human eyes with a modified fundus camera to which a cooled CCD camera was attached. The fundus images were taken at 460 nm and 560 nm after the retina was light-adapted to completely bleach rhodopsin. The density of macular pigment was estimated using a model described in the text. The variation in density with retinal eccentricity was fit to Gaussian distribution. The width of MP in retinal eccentricity was estimated by 95% covering area of the distribution profile. A total of 54 normal people served as subjects. They were divided into three groups with ages of 24.8 +/- 2.6 years (N = 24), 40.2 +/- 8.3 years (N = 13) and 67.5 +/- 7.1 years (N = 17) respectively. Statistical t-tests were employed to evaluate the differences in MP density, the half width of MP distributed (HWMPD) in retina with respect to age between the groups. Linear regression was also applied to reveal the relationships of HWMPD distribution with respect to age.
The results indicate that the average MP densities are 0.23 +/- 0.08, 0.22 +/- 0.06 and 0.23 +/- 0.06 density unit (DU) for the young to old age groups. The average MP density is 0.23 +/- 0.07. No statistical significant difference is found in the peak MP density between the groups (all p > 0.05). This result pretty agrees with the data that obtained from others by using optical methods. For the young to old age groups, the average estimated HWMPD are 2.6 degrees +/- 0.5 degrees, 3.1 degrees +/- 0.5 degrees and 4.1 degrees +/- 0.6 degrees respectively. The differences between loci of HWMPD in the three groups are statistically significant with p = 0.0059, p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0001 for young vs. mid-age, young vs. old and mid-age vs. old respectively. Linear regressions for the HWMPD vs. age (r = 0.734, p < 0.001) implies that the macular pigment can gradually accumulate and spread out to the periphery of retina through our life span with an increase rate of approximately 0.03 degrees /year.
The accumulation of MP is reflected by the broader area in the macula lutea due to age, but no significant change is observed in peak density. The cause of the extension in the macular area with respect to age is unknown.
为了估计不同年龄段人类黄斑色素（MP）在宽度和密度上的分布情况，采用眼底反射成像技术来实现这一目标。
使用眼底反射成像技术，通过一台连接了冷却电荷耦合器件（CCD）相机的改良眼底相机来测量人眼黄斑色素的分布。在视网膜进行光适应以完全漂白视紫红质后，于460纳米和560纳米处拍摄眼底图像。使用文中描述的模型估计黄斑色素的密度。密度随视网膜偏心度的变化拟合为高斯分布。通过分布曲线的95%覆盖面积来估计视网膜偏心度上MP的宽度。共有54名正常人作为研究对象。他们被分为三组，年龄分别为24.8±2.6岁（N = 24）、40.2±8.3岁（N = 13）和67.5±7.1岁（N = 17）。采用统计t检验来评估各组之间MP密度、视网膜中MP分布半宽度（HWMPD）随年龄的差异。还应用线性回归来揭示HWMPD分布与年龄的关系。
结果表明，青年组到老年组的平均MP密度分别为0.23±0.08、0.22±0.06和0.23±0.06密度单位（DU）。平均MP密度为0.23±0.07。各组之间MP峰值密度未发现统计学显著差异（所有p>0.05）。这一结果与其他通过光学方法获得的数据非常吻合。对于青年组到老年组，平均估计的HWMPD分别为2.6度±0.5度、3.1度±0.5度和4.1度±0.6度。三组中HWMPD位点之间的差异具有统计学意义，青年与中年组相比p = 0.0059，青年与老年组相比p<0.0001，中年与老年组相比p = 0.0001。HWMPD与年龄的线性回归（r = 0.734，p<0.001）表明，在我们的一生中，黄斑色素会逐渐积累并扩散到视网膜周边，增长率约为每年0.03度。
由于年龄增长，MP的积累表现为黄斑区面积变宽，但峰值密度未观察到显著变化。黄斑区面积随年龄扩展的原因尚不清楚。
