Recent Advances in Visual Dysfunction and Ocular Biomarkers in Neurological Disorders

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology
• Genetics

Background:

• Visual symptoms are early signs of neurological diseases.
• Ophthalmological symptoms are increasingly recognized in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions.
• The retina's accessibility offers a unique window into neurological pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent findings on visual dysfunction in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.
• To highlight the clinical relevance of ophthalmological symptoms for diagnosis and management.
• To explore the potential of ocular imaging and functional assays in neurological disease assessment.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing recent findings.
• Analysis of non-invasive ocular imaging techniques (e.g., high-resolution retinal imaging).
• Evaluation of non-invasive visual functional assays (e.g., electroretinography).

Main Results:

• Retinal changes are detectable in early stages of Parkinson's disease.
• Retinal pathologies correlate with cognitive decline in Huntington's, Alzheimer's, and Joubert syndromes.
• Ocular imaging and electroretinography can identify subcellular retinal pathologies.

Conclusions:

• Retinal imaging holds potential for risk assessment, diagnosis, and progression monitoring of neurological diseases.
• Further research, including preclinical models, is needed to develop novel ocular diagnostic markers.
• Understanding brain-retina interplay is crucial for advancing therapeutic strategies for neurological conditions.