Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases: Interconnection between Retina and Cortical Areas
The possible interconnection between the eye and central nervous system (CNS) has been a topic of discussion for several years just based on fact that the eye is properly considered an extension of the brain. Both organs consist of neurons and derived from a neural tube. The visual process involves...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-09-01
|
| Series: | Cells |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/9/2394 |
| _version_ | 1797519875714842624 |
|---|---|
| author | Nicoletta Marchesi Foroogh Fahmideh Federica Boschi Alessia Pascale Annalisa Barbieri |
| author_facet | Nicoletta Marchesi Foroogh Fahmideh Federica Boschi Alessia Pascale Annalisa Barbieri |
| author_sort | Nicoletta Marchesi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The possible interconnection between the eye and central nervous system (CNS) has been a topic of discussion for several years just based on fact that the eye is properly considered an extension of the brain. Both organs consist of neurons and derived from a neural tube. The visual process involves photoreceptors that receive light stimulus from the external environment and send it to retinal ganglionic cells (RGC), one of the cell types of which the retina is composed. The retina, the internal visual membrane of the eye, processes the visual stimuli in electric stimuli to transfer it to the brain, through the optic nerve. Retinal chronic progressive neurodegeneration, which may occur among the elderly, can lead to different disorders of the eye such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Mainly in the elderly population, but also among younger people, such ocular pathologies are the cause of irreversible blindness or impaired, reduced vision. Typical neurodegenerative diseases of the CSN are a group of pathologies with common characteristics and etiology not fully understood; some risk factors have been identified, but they are not enough to justify all the cases observed. Furthermore, several studies have shown that also ocular disorders present characteristics of neurodegenerative diseases and, on the other hand, CNS pathologies, i.e., Alzheimer disease (AD) and Parkinson disease (PD), which are causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, show peculiar alterations at the ocular level. The knowledge of possible correlations could help to understand the mechanisms of onset. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms of these heterogeneous disorders are still debated. This review discusses the characteristics of the ocular illnesses, focusing on the relationship between the eye and the brain. A better comprehension could help in future new therapies, thus reducing or avoiding loss of vision and improve quality of life. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:48:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-09a0b940388d479382f3e86a0f4c2e69 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:48:59Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-09a0b940388d479382f3e86a0f4c2e692023-11-22T12:25:25ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092021-09-01109239410.3390/cells10092394Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases: Interconnection between Retina and Cortical AreasNicoletta Marchesi0Foroogh Fahmideh1Federica Boschi2Alessia Pascale3Annalisa Barbieri4Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Section, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 14, 27100 Pavia, ItalyDepartment of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Section, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 14, 27100 Pavia, ItalyDepartment of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Section, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 14, 27100 Pavia, ItalyDepartment of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Section, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 14, 27100 Pavia, ItalyDepartment of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Section, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 14, 27100 Pavia, ItalyThe possible interconnection between the eye and central nervous system (CNS) has been a topic of discussion for several years just based on fact that the eye is properly considered an extension of the brain. Both organs consist of neurons and derived from a neural tube. The visual process involves photoreceptors that receive light stimulus from the external environment and send it to retinal ganglionic cells (RGC), one of the cell types of which the retina is composed. The retina, the internal visual membrane of the eye, processes the visual stimuli in electric stimuli to transfer it to the brain, through the optic nerve. Retinal chronic progressive neurodegeneration, which may occur among the elderly, can lead to different disorders of the eye such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Mainly in the elderly population, but also among younger people, such ocular pathologies are the cause of irreversible blindness or impaired, reduced vision. Typical neurodegenerative diseases of the CSN are a group of pathologies with common characteristics and etiology not fully understood; some risk factors have been identified, but they are not enough to justify all the cases observed. Furthermore, several studies have shown that also ocular disorders present characteristics of neurodegenerative diseases and, on the other hand, CNS pathologies, i.e., Alzheimer disease (AD) and Parkinson disease (PD), which are causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, show peculiar alterations at the ocular level. The knowledge of possible correlations could help to understand the mechanisms of onset. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms of these heterogeneous disorders are still debated. This review discusses the characteristics of the ocular illnesses, focusing on the relationship between the eye and the brain. A better comprehension could help in future new therapies, thus reducing or avoiding loss of vision and improve quality of life.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/9/2394eyeSNCretinal neurodegenerationneurodegenerative diseasesage-related diseases |
| spellingShingle | Nicoletta Marchesi Foroogh Fahmideh Federica Boschi Alessia Pascale Annalisa Barbieri Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases: Interconnection between Retina and Cortical Areas Cells eye SNC retinal neurodegeneration neurodegenerative diseases age-related diseases |
| title | Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases: Interconnection between Retina and Cortical Areas |
| title_full | Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases: Interconnection between Retina and Cortical Areas |
| title_fullStr | Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases: Interconnection between Retina and Cortical Areas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases: Interconnection between Retina and Cortical Areas |
| title_short | Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases: Interconnection between Retina and Cortical Areas |
| title_sort | ocular neurodegenerative diseases interconnection between retina and cortical areas |
| topic | eye SNC retinal neurodegeneration neurodegenerative diseases age-related diseases |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/9/2394 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nicolettamarchesi ocularneurodegenerativediseasesinterconnectionbetweenretinaandcorticalareas AT forooghfahmideh ocularneurodegenerativediseasesinterconnectionbetweenretinaandcorticalareas AT federicaboschi ocularneurodegenerativediseasesinterconnectionbetweenretinaandcorticalareas AT alessiapascale ocularneurodegenerativediseasesinterconnectionbetweenretinaandcorticalareas AT annalisabarbieri ocularneurodegenerativediseasesinterconnectionbetweenretinaandcorticalareas |