Dr. Arjuna Ratnayaka and his team have published research in the journal of Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, revealing how proteins linked to Alzheimer’s (called Amyloid beta or Aβ) contribute to retinal pathology. The study used 5xFAD transgenic mice, which mimic Alzheimer’s disease, and also reproduce the high Aβ burden found in the retinas of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). They discovered that retinal Aβ accelerates retinal degeneration, distinct from other age-related changes. This study, the largest of its kind, offers new insights into the condition and also highlights shared pathological features in neurodegenerative conditions of the brain and retina, responsible for major illnesses such as Alzhiemer’s and AMD. A longitudinal study of the 5xFAD mouse retina delineates Amyloid beta (Aβ)-mediated retinal pathology from age-related changes.
