Neurodegeneration in the retina precedes damage to the substantia nigra and striatum in Parkinson disease (PD), as demonstrated in a recently published study using a rotenone-induced rat model of PD. 20 days after the rotenone insult, in vivo imaging and optical coherence tomography revealed increased retinal ganglion cell apoptosis and swelling of the retinal layers. These findings could pave the way for strategies to diagnose PD early in the disease course.
References
Normando, E. M. et al. The retina as an early biomarker of neurodegeneration in a rotenone-induced model of Parkinson's disease: evidence for a neuroprotective effect of rosiglitazone in the eye and brain. Acta Neuropathol. Commun. 4, 86 (2016)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Malkki, H. Retinal changes could be an early marker of PD. Nat Rev Neurol 12, 555 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2016.138
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2016.138