Correa Victor S M C, Emfietzoglou Maria, Sakuno Gustavo, Naafs Rosanne, Miller Joan W, Charonis Alexander, Vavvas Demetrios G
Ines and Fredrick Yeatts Retina Research Laboratory, Angiogenesis Laboratory, Retina Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Retina Service, Athens Vision Eye Institute, Athens, Greece.
Ophthalmol Sci. 2025 Apr 28;5(5):100815. doi: 10.1016/j.xops.2025.100815. eCollection 2025 Sep-Oct.
This study aims to evaluate the inner plexiform layer (IPL) microstructure and its changes with aging using commercial spectral-domain OCT macular scans of healthy individuals with a semiautomated segmentation program.
Cross-sectional study conducted at the Athens Vision Eye Institute from January to July 2024.
The study included 92 healthy participants.
OCT images were captured with the Optovue Avanti SD-OCT and processed using ImageJ to measure thickness and analyze the hyperreflective and hyporeflective bands within the IPL. Information about signal intensity, microstructure, and contrast between these sublayers was obtained. Statistical analyses, including Spearman correlation and linear regression, assessed relationships between age and IPL extracted features. Intraeye and intereye repeatability were evaluated using paired samples tests combined with bootstrap analyses.
The primary outcomes measured were signal intensity of the IPL, contrast between its hyperreflective and hyporeflective bands, and the percentage of IPL with identifiable sublayers. The secondary outcomes included inner retinal thickness measurements, including the IPL, nerve fiber layer (NFL), and ganglion cell complex (GCC).
The IPL exhibited a multilayered structure with 5 sublayers, 3 hyperreflective and 2 hyporeflective, arranged in an alternating pattern. Aging was associated with higher signal intensity from hyporeflective bands and minimal changes in hyperreflective bands, resulting in an overall reduced contrast between the 5 sublayers. Older participants showed a lower percentage of IPL with identifiable sublayers, along with a lower contrast variance within the IPL. Aging also correlated with reduced inner retinal thickness, including the IPL, NFL, and GCC, with a stronger association for the IPL. Inner plexiform layer analysis exhibited high intraeye and intereye repeatability, with significant correlations and nonsignificant mean differences observed in most key parameters.
Analysis of the IPL and its sublayers is both feasible and reproducible using commercially available OCT along with a semiautomated segmentation program. Our findings indicate that the IPL microstructure changes with aging. A comprehensive evaluation of the IPL could serve as a valuable biomarker for early diagnosis and monitoring of diseases affecting synaptic health in this layer.
Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
本研究旨在使用半自动分割程序，通过对健康个体进行商业光谱域光学相干断层扫描（OCT）黄斑扫描，评估内网状层（IPL）的微观结构及其随年龄的变化。
2024年1月至7月在雅典视觉眼科研究所进行的横断面研究。
该研究纳入了92名健康参与者。
使用Optovue Avanti SD-OCT采集OCT图像，并使用ImageJ进行处理，以测量厚度并分析IPL内的高反射带和低反射带。获得了有关信号强度、微观结构以及这些子层之间对比度的信息。包括Spearman相关性和线性回归在内的统计分析评估了年龄与IPL提取特征之间的关系。使用配对样本检验结合自助分析评估眼内和眼间的重复性。
测量的主要结果是IPL的信号强度、其高反射带和低反射带之间的对比度，以及具有可识别子层的IPL的百分比。次要结果包括视网膜内层厚度测量，包括IPL、神经纤维层（NFL）和神经节细胞复合体（GCC）。
IPL呈现出具有5个子层的多层结构，其中3个高反射层和2个低反射层，呈交替排列。衰老与低反射带的信号强度增加以及高反射带的变化最小相关，导致5个子层之间的总体对比度降低。年龄较大的参与者显示具有可识别子层的IPL百分比更低，并且IPL内的对比度差异也更低。衰老还与包括IPL、NFL和GCC在内的视网膜内层厚度减少相关，其中与IPL的关联更强。内网状层分析显示出较高的眼内和眼间重复性，在大多数关键参数中观察到显著相关性和不显著的平均差异。
使用市售OCT和半自动分割程序对IPL及其子层进行分析既可行又可重复。我们的研究结果表明IPL微观结构随年龄变化。对IPL进行全面评估可作为早期诊断和监测影响该层突触健康疾病的有价值生物标志物。
在本文末尾的脚注和披露中可能会发现专有或商业披露信息。
