Evaluation of Chronic Stress Induced Neurodegeneration and Treatment Using an In-vivo Retinal Model

摘要

The objective of this project is to develop an in vivo damage model for the study of the mechanisms underlying retinal injuries and other neurodegenerative disorders. For this purpose the small snake eye with its unique suite of ocular properties, combined with the imaging capabilities of the confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope model was selected. Progress has been made in three areas of research necessary to establish the snake eye as a model for human neural injury/disease: (1) Morphology: Photochemical lesions are difficult to produce, are visible primarily at 24-hrs post-exposure, and therefore leave no experimental end point to be improved by treatment; (2) Electrophysiology: The functional characteristics of the pattern-evoked electroretinogram (PERG) recorded from the normal rat snake eye have been documented, and initial experiments with laser exposures indicate that the PERG is capable of tracking laser-induced changes in retinal function; and (3) Immunohistochemical analyses: Further evidence has been documented that the rat snake has an all cone retina. Immunohistochemical methods provide an additional tool for identifying key proteins released in response to neural injury.