Age-Related Differences in Ocular Features of a Naturalistic Free-Ranging Population of Rhesus Macaques.
Fernandes Arthur G, Alexopoulos Palaiologos, Burgos-Rodriguez Armando, Martinez Melween I, Ghassibi Mark, Leskov Ilya, Brent Lauren J N, Snyder-Mackler Noah, Danias John, Wollstein Gadi
AI Summary
This study found rhesus macaques show human-like age-related ocular changes, including thinner corneas, longer axial length, myopic shift, and increased cataracts/drusen, providing a relevant model for human eye aging.
Abstract
Purpose
Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are the premier nonhuman primate model for studying human health and disease. We investigated if age was associated with clinically relevant ocular features in a large cohort of free-ranging rhesus macaques from Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico.
Methods
We evaluated 120 rhesus macaques (73 males, 47 females) from 0 to 29 years old (mean ± SD: 12.6 ± 6.4) from September to December 2021. The ophthalmic evaluation included intraocular pressure (IOP) assessment, corneal pachymetry, biomicroscopy, A-scan biometry, automated refraction, and fundus photography after pupil dilation. The associations of age with the outcomes were investigated through multilevel mixed-effects models adjusted for sex and weight.
Results
On average, IOP, pachymetry, axial length, and automated refraction spherical equivalent were 18.37 ± 4.68 mmHg, 474.43 ± 32.21 µm, 19.49 ± 1.24 mm, and 0.30 ± 1.70 diopters (D), respectively. Age was significantly associated with pachymetry (β coefficient = -1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.27 to -0.14; P = 0.026), axial length (β coefficient = 0.03; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.05; P = 0.002), and spherical equivalent (β coefficient = -0.12; 95% CI, -0.22 to -0.02; P = 0.015). No association was detected between age and IOP. The prevalence of cataracts in either eye was 10.83% (95% CI, 6.34-17.89) and was significantly associated with age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.06-1.36; P = 0.004). Retinal drusen in either eye was observed in 15.00% (95% CI, 9.60-22.68) of animals, which was also significantly associated with age (OR = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.02-1.27; P = 0.020).
Conclusions
Rhesus macaques exhibit age-related ocular associations similar to those observed in human aging, including decreased corneal thickness, increased axial length, myopic shift, and higher prevalence of cataract and retinal drusen.
MeSH Terms
Shields Classification
Key Concepts6
In a cross-sectional study of 120 free-ranging rhesus macaques (73 males, 47 females) from 0 to 29 years old, age was significantly associated with decreased corneal pachymetry (β coefficient = -1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.27 to -0.14; P = 0.026).
In a cross-sectional study of 120 free-ranging rhesus macaques (73 males, 47 females) from 0 to 29 years old, age was significantly associated with increased axial length (β coefficient = 0.03; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.05; P = 0.002).
In a cross-sectional study of 120 free-ranging rhesus macaques (73 males, 47 females) from 0 to 29 years old, age was significantly associated with a myopic shift in automated refraction spherical equivalent (β coefficient = -0.12; 95% CI, -0.22 to -0.02; P = 0.015).
In a cross-sectional study of 120 free-ranging rhesus macaques (73 males, 47 females) from 0 to 29 years old, no association was detected between age and intraocular pressure (IOP).
In a cross-sectional study of 120 free-ranging rhesus macaques (73 males, 47 females) from 0 to 29 years old, the prevalence of cataracts in either eye was 10.83% (95% CI, 6.34-17.89) and was significantly associated with age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.06-1.36; P = 0.004).
In a cross-sectional study of 120 free-ranging rhesus macaques (73 males, 47 females) from 0 to 29 years old, retinal drusen in either eye was observed in 15.00% (95% CI, 9.60-22.68) of animals and was significantly associated with age (OR = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.02-1.27; P = 0.020).
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