Why the eye matters in brain disease
Predictive tools (early neurodegeneration signal)
Monitoring tools (disease progression & therapy response)
Translational research endpoints (from animal models to patient care) By integrating OCT with MRI or PET, researchers can map retinal changes to cortical and white matter networks, supporting a unified neurodegeneration model (9, 10).
Standardization challenges – Variability across OCT platforms, segmentation algorithms, and reference databases.
Interpretation complexity – Neurologists may lack OCT training; ophthalmologists may lack neurological context.
Regulatory uncertainty – OCT as a biomarker, rather than a diagnostic test, occupies a gray zone in clinical guidelines.
Data civersity issues – Most OCT datasets originate from tertiary centers in high-income regions.
Cross-specialty training between ophthalmology and neurology
Multi-center harmonized imaging standards (e.g., APOSTEL, OSCAR-IB)
Longitudinal biomarker validation linked to cognitive and functional outcomes
Accessible screening pathways for community and primary care settings
OCT and Imaging in Central Nervous System Diseases: The Eye as a Window to the Brain, A Grzybowski, P Barboni (eds.), Springer Nature (2025) is available here.
References
- J Zhou et al., “OCT and Imaging in Central Nervous System Diseases: The Eye as a Window to the Brain,” in A Grzybowski, P Barboni (eds.), OCT and Imaging in Central Nervous System Diseases: The Eye as a Window to the Brain, 315, Springer Nature (2025).
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