Advances in eye-brain axis: Anatomy, immunity, and association with visual dysfunction.
Shuo Zhang1, Zhigang Fan1, Dan Ji2
1Beijing Tongren Eye Center Research Ward, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, Capital Medical University, 1 Dongjiaominxiang Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.
Ageing Research Reviews
|October 24, 2025
Summary
The eye-brain axis links vision and neurological health. Research reveals its role in diagnosing and treating CNS disorders, offering new neuroprotective strategies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Immunology
Background:
- The eye-brain axis describes the interconnected visual pathways between the eyes and brain.
- Visual dysfunction can lead to central nervous system (CNS) remodeling.
- The eye serves as a biomarker for early CNS neurodegenerative disease diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the anatomical, immune, and interactive aspects of the eye-brain axis.
- To evaluate the eye-brain axis's relevance in diagnosing and treating visual and CNS degenerative diseases.
Main Methods:
- Review of anatomical foundations.
- Analysis of immune regulation mechanisms.
- Evaluation of bidirectional interactions.
Main Results:
- Glaucoma impacts visual cortex blood flow and mitochondrial ATP synthesis.
- Retinal biomarkers like beta-amyloid and phosphorylated Tau parallel Alzheimer's disease.
- Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) influences intraocular pressure and macular edema via lymphatic pathways.
Conclusions:
- Eye-brain axis research offers insights into visual dysfunction and CNS disorders.
- It supports the development of cross-organ neuroprotective strategies.
- Understanding this axis is crucial for novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
More Related Videos
07:41Behavioral Assessment of Visual Function via Optomotor Response and Cognitive Function via Y-Maze in Diabetic Rats
Published on: October 23, 2020
6.7K
07:08Using Optical Coherence Tomography and Optokinetic Response As Structural and Functional Visual System Readouts in Mice and Rats
Published on: January 10, 2019
10.5K
Related Concept Videos
01:26Visual System
1.7K
Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
1.7K
01:17Accessory Structures of the Eye
3.3K
Optical perception, or vision, is an extraordinary sense dependent on converting light signals received via the ocular organs. These organs, known as eyes, are securely positioned within the bony cavities of the skull, called orbits. The orbits serve a dual purpose: a protective shield for the ocular globes and a stable attachment point for the soft ocular tissues. The eye's external protective mechanisms include the eyelids, which are edged with lashes that act as a barrier against foreign...
3.3K
01:25Glaucoma: Overview
1.2K
Glaucoma is an eye condition characterized by increased intraocular pressure that damages the retina and optic nerve, leading to irreversible blindness if left untreated. The human eye has various components, including the cornea, iris, pupil, lens, and optic nerve. Aqueous humor is secreted by the epithelium of the ciliary body in the posterior chamber and flows through the trabecular meshwork and canal of Schlemm, maintaining normal intraocular pressure. The trabecular meshwork and the canal...
1.2K
01:24Vision
59.3K
Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
59.3K
01:22Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
8.7K
At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...
8.7K
01:20Anatomy of the Eyeball
9.4K
The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle...
9.4K