Age-related differences in retinal function and structure in C57BL/6J and Thy1-YFPh mice

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Neuronal adaptations aid function maintenance with age.
• Understanding age-related changes in the retina is crucial for vision health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-related functional and structural adaptations in the mouse retina.
• To compare these adaptations between C57BL/6J and Thy1-YFPh mouse strains.

Main Methods:

• In vivo electroretinography (ERG) assessed retinal function.
• In vivo optical coherence tomography (OCT) evaluated retinal structure.
• Comparisons were made between young (3-month-old) and middle-aged (12-month-old) mice.

Main Results:

• Thy1-YFPh mice generally showed larger ERG responses than C57BL/6J mice.
• Middle-aged mice exhibited reduced photoreceptor and bipolar cell function compared to young mice.
• Ganglion cell function was relatively preserved with age, correlating with b-wave sensitivity and amplitude.

Conclusions:

• The aging retina exhibits adaptive mechanisms to maintain functional output.
• Mouse strain differences influence age-related adaptation capacity.
• Strain-specific adaptations are important considerations for age-related retinal injury studies.