Neuroprotection in glaucoma: a model for neuroprotection in optic neuropathies.
OBJECTIVE
Efforts to discover modalities and pathophysiologies that might afford successful neurorescue, neurorestoration, and neuroprotection of cells of the central nervous system have focused on processes that affect the central nervous system proper, that is, the brain. Often overlooked in the search for neural protection is the fact that the mammalian optic nerve behaves in many ways as an integral part of the central nervous system. As such, the eye--the optic nerve and retina--affords an ideal clinical model for neuroprotection and neuroprotective agents. Glaucomatous optic neuropathy is the most prevalent of all adult optic neuropathies, and offers an ideal primate and lower mammalian animal model for investigations of neuroprotection.


RESULTS
This is especially compelling because while recent studies in glaucoma have shown reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) to be an effective modality in the treatment of glaucomatous optic neuropathy, not all patients respond to or can achieve meaningful IOP reductions. Therefore much attention has now been focused on neuroprotection as a strategy in therapies for glaucomatous optic neuropathy as a means of preserving retinal ganglion cells and their axonal projections.


CONCLUSIONS
This review discusses the latest studies on various mechanisms of neuroprotection in the treatment of glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
Marcic
Tania Sibila
TS
Department of Ophthalmology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
Belyea
David Anthony
DA
Katz
Barrett
B
D000818:Animals; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014612:Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use
D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014612:Vaccines; C496319:NOS2 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II