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What's new in neuroprotection
Author(s) -
WHEELER L,
BURKE J
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2010.2451.x
Subject(s) - neuroprotection , neuroscience , retinal , retina , glaucoma , medicine , mechanism (biology) , alpha (finance) , receptor , biology , ophthalmology , physics , surgery , construct validity , quantum mechanics , patient satisfaction
Purpose Vision loss is a an important patient concern in glaucoma and retinal diseases. This talk will update recent findings with alpha‐2 agonists and NMDA antagonists in light of recent clinical experience in neuroprotection. Alpha‐2 agonists have been shown to be neuroprotective in many animal models by mechanisms thought to enhance neuronal survival. The physiological role of alpha‐2 receptors is still an emerging area of research in the retina and optic nerve. Methods Recent experiments suggest that alpha‐2 agonists can improve retinal performance in laboratory animals. The new methods to demonstrate this will be presented. How is this different than neuroprotection? Or is it? Results A number of ideas are being pursued to explain the observation of improved retinal performance: increased axonal transport in rats; changes in down stream receptor signalling, etc. Conclusion Understanding the mechanism(s)of action for how alpha‐2 agonists affect neuroportection and retinal performance may lead to new medical therapies and the role of these receptors in the physiology and function of the eye.Commercial interest