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Abstract
Eleven eyes with lesions of the optic nerve and chiasm and 5 normal eyes were histologically studied and cells of the inner nuclear layer were counted in specific meridians. There tvas consistent decreased cellularity in the 9 eyes in which lesions of the optic nerve had been present for 2 years or longer. The probability that the decreased celhdarity occurred by chance was less than 0.02. Retrograde transsynaptic degeneration as the explanation for the degeneration in the inner nuclear layer is discussed. These case findings give statistical significance to the controversial concept of retrograde transsynaptic degeneration of the inner nuclear layer of the retina following lesions of the optic nerve.