Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34045307›Full record

ArticleNeurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation2021

Association of Retinal Layer Thickness With Cognition in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis.

Sharon Jean Baetge, Michael Dietrich, Melanie Filser, Alina Renner, Nathalie Stute, Marcia Gasis, Margit Weise, Klaudia Lepka, Jonas Graf, Norbert Goebels and 5 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.6field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Article
  4. Exploring the relationship between retinal damage and cognition in multiple sclerosis: a cross-sectional OCT-MRI study.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
    Article
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  8. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 1 institution in 3 countries.

Sharon Jean BaetgeFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Michael DietrichFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Melanie FilserFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Alina RennerFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.ORCID 0000-0003-3032-4244
Nathalie StuteFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Marcia GasisFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Margit WeiseFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Klaudia LepkaFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Jonas GrafFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.ORCID 0000-0002-4249-4665
Norbert GoebelsFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Hans-Peter HartungFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Orhan AktasFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.ORCID 0000-0002-2020-9210
Sven MeuthFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Philipp AlbrechtFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria.ORCID 0000-0001-7987-658X
Iris-Katharina PennerFrom the Cogito Center for Applied Neurocognition and Neuropsychological Research (S.J.B., M.F., A.R., N.S., I.-K.P.); Department of Neurology (M.D., M.G., M.W., K.L., J.G., N.G., H.-P.H., O.A., S.M., P.A., I.-K.P.), Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Brain and Mind Centre (H.-P.H.), Department of Neurology, University of Sydney; and Department of Neurology (H.-P.H.), Medical University of Vienna, Austria. iris-katharina.penner@uni-duesseldorf.de.
The University of Sydney · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveRetinal layer thickness (RLT) measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) is considered a noninvasive, cost-efficient marker of neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to investigate associations of RLT with cognitive performance and its potential as indicator of cognitive status in patients with MS by performing generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses.

methodsIn this cross-sectional study, patients with at least mild signs of cognitive impairment were examined by OCT as well as by the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS and tests assessing attention and executive functions (Trail Making Test [TMT] A and B). Associations of these factors were investigated using GEE models controlling for demographic and disease-related factors and correcting for multiple testing.

resultsA total of 64 patients entered the study. In the final sample (n = 50 [n = 14 excluded due to missing data or drop-outs]; n = 44 relapsing-remitting MS and n = 6 secondary progressive MS, mean Expanded Disability Status Scale score = 2.59 [SD = 1.17], disease duration [median] = 7.34 [interquartile range = 12.1]), 36.0% were cognitively impaired. RLT of the macular retinal nerve fiber layer was associated with performance in TMT-B (β = -0.259). Analyses focusing on the upper and lower tertile of RLT additionally revealed associations between macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer and TMT-B and verbal short-term memory and learning, respectively.

conclusionIn patients with MS, at less advanced disease stages, RLT was especially associated with cognitive flexibility promoting OCT as a potential marker advocating further extensive neuropsychological examination.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionMultiple Sclerosis, Chronic ProgressiveMultiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-RemittingAdolescentAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsRetinal NeuronsTomography, Optical CoherenceYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID34045307
PMCPMC8161541
OpenAlexW3164448710

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.