Accurate diagnosis of a mental condition can be very important. A correct diagnosis can help ensure that a person is receiving proper treatment for a mental disorder they are suffering from. Receiving proper treatment can help reduce the negative impacts a mental condition has on a person.
One of the challenges that can arise when it comes to diagnosing mental conditions is that many mental disorders have similar symptoms to each other. Thus, when it comes to a given mental condition, finding symptoms or markers that can help distinguish the condition from other conditions can be very important.
A recently published study indicates that schizophrenia sufferers may have certain distinguishing features when it comes to their retinal imaging.
In the study, the researchers looked at the retinal imaging of around 1,000 individuals. In their review of the imaging, the researchers looked at the size of the retinal microvessels of the individuals.
The researchers found that the retinal venules of the individuals who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia were wider than those of the individuals who were healthy and the individuals who had depression.
One wonders if the retinal venules of individuals who suffer from schizophrenia are also wider than those of individuals who suffer from other types of mental conditions. If particularly wide retinal venules do prove to be a distinguishing feature of schizophrenia sufferers, one wonders if retinal imaging could play a role in the diagnosing of schizophrenia.
It will be interesting to see what further research will be done regarding schizophrenia and retinal imaging.
Source: Medscape, “Retinal Imaging May Identify Schizophrenia,” Deborah Brauser, Jan. 7, 2014