Abstract
Presentation Description :
The retina is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the human body. Retinal ganglion cells are highly energetic and vulnerable to bioenergetic insufficiency. Retinal ganglion cells exist on a metabolic knife-edge and, if this balance shifts too low, retinal ganglion cells do not function properly, losing the ability to efficiently shuttle macromolecules and propagate action potentials. This can be an initiator of synaptic and dendritic degeneration. On the other side of the knife-edge, high metabolic rates can increase mitochondrial reactive oxygen species release, reacting with proteins and damaging the cell directly, or leading to excitotoxicity and cell apoptosis. This high metabolic demand, in combination with other anatomical and metabolic stressors might underly retinal ganglion cells’ susceptibility to disease. This talk will discuss the current understanding of mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunction, both retinal ganglion cell intrinsic and extrinsic (systemic) susceptibilities, and how these are currently being targeted for neuroprotection.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.