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Transretinal degeneration in ageing human retina: a multiphoton microscopy analysis
1Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
The British Journal of Ophthalmology
|December 25, 2010
Summary
Ageing human retinas show significant neuron loss, particularly in the retinal ganglion cell layer (RGCL) and outer nuclear layer (ONL). The inner nuclear layer (INL) is relatively preserved, indicating specific patterns of neurodegeneration with age.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
Background:
- Retinal cell remodelling is a known aspect of ageing.
- The extent of age-related transretinal degeneration remains unclear.
- Understanding age-related changes in retinal cell populations is crucial for vision health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify age-related retinal degeneration using multiphoton microscopy.
- To compare neuron densities across different retinal layers in young and aged human eyes.
- To investigate the spatial distribution of neuronal loss in the ageing retina.
Main Methods:
- Post-mortem human retinas from young (18-33 years) and older (74-90 years) subjects were analyzed.
- Multiphoton confocal microscopy and automated cell identification were used to quantify neuron densities in the RGCL, INL, and ONL.
- Hydrated wholemount preparations were imaged to minimize tissue artifacts.
Main Results:
- Aged subjects exhibited significant neuron loss in the RGCL (peak 25.5% at 1 mm eccentricity).
- INL and ONL neuron densities decreased significantly in aged retinas (8.7% and 15.6%, respectively).
- Neuronal loss in the INL spatially correlated with greatest loss in the RGCL and ONL.
Conclusions:
- This study correlates neurodegeneration across different retinal cell populations in ageing.
- The greatest neuronal loss in ageing human retinas occurs in the RGCL and ONL.
- The INL demonstrates relative preservation compared to other retinal layers in ageing.
