Neuroprotection in glaucoma

ABSTRACT

Neuroprotection has emerged as an important conception the treatment of ocular neurodegenerative diseases, including glaucoma. In order to identify drugs with neuroprotective potential, animal models of retina and optic nerve degeneration have been developed. The optic nerve mechanical injury and pressure induced retinal ischaemia rodent models evaluate activity at the inner retina/optic nerve; and at the outer retina the light induced photoreceptor degeneration rodent model was utilized. Functional and morphometric assessment of the retina was made up to two weeks following the mechanical insults to quantitate secondary neuronal degeneration after injury. This type of neuronal cell death shares some characteristics with chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Brimonidine, an alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist, was neuroprotective in these animal models. Moreover, the data show that the effect is mediated through alpha-2 adrenoceptors and involves, in part, the upregulation of antiapoptotic and neuronal survival genes.(AU)