Nur Ebru BARÇIN, Hatice Deniz İLHAN, Ali ÜNAL
Türk Geriatri Dergisi - 2026;29(1):110-115
Introduction: Pseudoexfoliation syndrome is an age-related condition characterized by abnormal fibrillar material accumulation in the ocular and systemic tissues. Several studies have suggested that pseudoexfoliation syndrome is associated with neurodegenerative processes via different mechanisms. In our study, cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, and primary open-angle glaucoma and compared with healthy controls. Materials and Method: In this prospective study, 43 patients aged >=60 years were diagnosed with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (Group I), 40 with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (Group II), 43 with primary open-angle glaucoma (Group III), and 72 healthy individuals who served as controls (Group IV). The Mini-Mental State Examination was administered in a quiet room by the same neurologist who was blinded to the participants' diagnoses. Results: A statistically significant difference was observed among the groups in Mini-Mental State Examination scores (p=0.001). Pairwise comparisons adjusted using the Bonferroni correction revealed significant differences between Groups I and IV, Groups II and III, and Groups II and IV (p=0.036; p=0.036; p=0.0012, respectively). In patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, Mini-Mental State Examination scores inversely correlated with age (p=0.003, r=-0.323); however, this association was not observed in the other groups (p=0.09). Conclusion: Mini-Mental State Examination scores were significantly lower in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma than in the control group and patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. Additionally, Mini-Mental State Examination performance inversely correlated with age in the pseudoexfoliation group. These findings suggest that pseudoexfoliation may not be confined to ocular pathology alone but may also be associated with systemic cognitive impairment.
