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Updated: May 10, 2026
12:48
In Vivo Dynamics of Retinal Microglial Activation During Neurodegeneration: Confocal Ophthalmoscopic Imaging and Cell Morphometry in Mouse Glaucoma
Published on: May 11, 2015
Alzheimer's disease and glaucoma: mechanistic similarities and differences
Jorge A Ghiso1, Ivo Doudevski, Robert Ritch
1Department of Pathology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Journal of Glaucoma
|June 5, 2013
Summary
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and glaucoma share common pathways, including cell degeneration and protein deposits. Visual testing may help screen for AD, as visual impairment is common in patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurodegenerative diseases
- Ophthalmology
- Neurology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, characterized by neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid plaques, and neuronal loss.
- Visual impairment is a common symptom in AD, correlating with disease severity and suggesting potential for visual testing in AD screening.
- A potential causal link exists between AD and glaucoma, two chronic neurodegenerative disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the shared biological and mechanistic features between Alzheimer's disease and glaucoma.
- To investigate common pathogenetic pathways, including cell death, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and vascular abnormalities.
- To highlight the potential of visual testing as a screening and monitoring tool for AD.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing research and clinical findings on AD and glaucoma.
- Comparative analysis of shared pathological features such as age-related incidence, retinal ganglion cell degeneration, and extracellular fibrillar deposits.
- Identification of common pathogenetic mechanisms.
Main Results:
- AD and glaucoma share features like age-related incidence, retinal ganglion cell degeneration, and extracellular fibrillar deposits, suggesting similar misfolding mechanisms.
- Common pathways include cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial dysfunction, and vascular abnormalities.
- Visual impairment in AD patients may serve as an early indicator and tracking method for disease progression.
Conclusions:
- Alzheimer's disease and glaucoma may share common underlying pathogenetic mechanisms and causal relationships.
- Further exploration of these shared pathways is warranted.
- Visual testing presents a promising avenue for AD screening and monitoring.
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