title: Neurovascular interaction and the pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most severe of the several ocular complications of diabetes, and in the United States it is the leading cause of blindness among adults 20 to 74 years of age. Despite recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of DR, there is a pressing need to develop novel therapeutic treatments that are both safe and efficacious. In the present paper, we identify a key mechanism involved in the development of the disease, namely, the interaction between neuronal and vascular activities. Numerous pathological conditions in the CNS have been linked to abnormalities in the relationship between these systems. We suggest that a similar situation arises in the diabetic retina, and we propose a logical strategy aimed at therapeutic intervention.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, 1855 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. haohua.qian@nih.gov
authors: Haohua
authors: H
authors: Qian
authors: Harris
authors: H
authors: Ripps
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult