Open AccessREVIEW: An Approach for Neuroprotective Therapies of Secondary Brain Damage after Excitotoxic Retinal Injury in Mice
Author(s) -
Ito Yasushi,
Shimazawa Masamitsu,
Hara Hideaki
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
cns neuroscience and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1755-5949
pISSN - 1755-5930
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-5949.2010.00176.x
Subject(s) - neuroscience , neuroprotection , medicine , glaucoma , optic neuropathy , optic nerve , brain damage , retinal , visual field , visual system , retinal degeneration , retina , ophthalmology , psychology
SUMMARY Background: Many current therapeutic strategies for several eye diseases, such as glaucoma, retinal ischemia, and optic neuropathy, are focused on protection of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). In fact, loss of visual field, including irreversible blindness, is caused by RGC damage in these diseases. However, recent evidence suggests that the RGC damage extends to visual center in brain: the visual impairment induced by these diseases may result not only from RGC loss, but also from neuronal degeneration within the visual center in brain. Objective: To protect neurons within the visual center in the brain, as well as retinal treatment, for the prevention of visual disorder in these diseases. Methods: Once considered difficult to study the visual center in brain following RGCs loss, because obtaining the human samples that are suitable for the study may be difficult. In addition, the monkey, mainly used as glaucomatous model, is relatively high cost and needs to long experiment‐span. Here, we focused on mice, because of their high degree of availability, relatively low cost, and amenability to experimental and genetic manipulation. Conclusion: In this review, we describe time‐dependent alterations in the visual center in brain following RGCs loss, and whether some drugs prevent the neuronal damage of the visual center in the brain.