Title:Brain: The Potential Diagnostic and Therapeutic Target for Glaucoma
VOLUME: 15 ISSUE: 7
Author(s):Muneeb A. Faiq, Rima Dada, Ashutosh Kumar, Daman Saluja and Tanuj Dada
Affiliation:Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110029, India.
Keywords:Brain, glaucoma, lateral geniculate nucleus, optic nerve, retinal ganglion cell, visual cortex.
Abstract:Glaucoma is a form of multifactorial ocular neurodegeneration with
immensely complex etiology, pathogenesis and pathology. Though the mainstream
therapeutic management of glaucoma is lowering of intraocular pressure, there is, as
of now, no cure for the disease. New evidences ardently suggest brain involvement
in all aspects of this malady. This consequently advocates the opinion that brain
should be the spotlight of glaucoma research and may form the impending and
promising target for glaucoma diagnosis and treatment. The present analysis
endeavors at understanding glaucoma vis-à-vis brain structural and/or functional
derangement and central nervous system (CNS) degeneration. Commencing with the
premise of developing some understanding about the brain-nature of ocular
structures; we discuss the nature of the cellular and molecular moieties involved in glaucoma and
Alzheimer’s disease. Substantial deal of literature implies that glaucoma may well be a disease of the
brain, nevertheless, manifesting as progressive loss of vision. If that is the case, then targeting brain will
be far more imperative in glaucoma therapeutics than any other remedial regimen currently being
endorsed.
