Melanopsin retinal ganglion cell loss in Alzheimer disease.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Melanopsin retinal ganglion cells (mRGCs) are photoreceptors driving circadian photoentrainment, and circadian dysfunction characterizes Alzheimer disease (AD). We investigated mRGCs in AD, hypothesizing that they contribute to circadian dysfunction.

Methods

We assessed retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in 21 mild-moderate AD patients, and in a subgroup of 16 we evaluated rest-activity circadian rhythm by actigraphy. We studied postmortem mRGCs by immunohistochemistry in retinas, and axons in optic nerve cross-sections of 14 neuropathologically confirmed AD patients. We coimmunostained for retinal amyloid β (Aβ) deposition and melanopsin to locate mRGCs. All AD cohorts were compared with age-matched controls.

Result

SUBMITTER: La Morgia C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4737313 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature