Parkinson's disease, lights and melanocytes: looking beyond the retina.
Critical analysis of recent research suggesting that light pollution causes Parkinson's disease (PD) reveals that such a hypothesis is unsustainable in the context of therapeutic use of light in treating various neuropsychiatric conditions. Reinterpretation of their findings suggests that retinal damage caused by prolonged light exposure may have contributed to the observed enhancement of experimental PD. To test this hypothesis further, forty-two Sprague Dawley rats received microinjections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2, 4, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), paraquat or rotenone into the vitreal mass in doses so minute that the effects could not be attributed to diffusion into brain. Significant changes in five motor parameters consistent with symptoms of experimental PD were observed. These findings support the interpretation that the retina is involved in the control of motor function and in the aetiology of PD.
Neurosciences Section, The Bronowski Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Coliban Medical Centre, 19 Jennings Street, Kyneton, Victoria 3444, Australia.
Gregory L
GL
Willis
Neurosciences Section, The Bronowski Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Coliban Medical Centre, 19 Jennings Street, Kyneton, Victoria 3444, Australia.
Cleo
C
Moore
Neurosciences Section, The Bronowski Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Coliban Medical Centre, 19 Jennings Street, Kyneton, Victoria 3444, Australia.
Stuart Maxwell
SM
Armstrong
D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010269:Paraquat / Q000494:pharmacology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012402:Rotenone / Q000494:pharmacology
D012402:Rotenone; D016627:Oxidopamine; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D010269:Paraquat