Amyloid-B and Glaucoma: The Retinal Ganglion Cell- Neurotoxic Connection

It has been shown that amyloid-P colocalizes with retinal ganglion cells (RGC) that are apoprotic. Glaucoma patients have been shown to have decreased vitreous amyloid-B (AB) levels, which is consistent with AB deposition in the retina.. Patients with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, two chronic neurodegenerative diseases related to aging, have been shown to have RGC loss that is associated with cypical glaucomatous changes. We hypothesize that this neurotoxic component of glaucomatous damage is present in all patients who have retinal damage with RGC loss, and blocking that AB pathway will arrest a neurotoxic component ofglaucomatous visual loss.