1 / 17

Boosting Optic Nerve Energy to Slow Glaucoma Research

This research project aims to boost optic nerve energy to slow the progression of glaucoma. The study investigates the role of mitochondrial function and genetic markers in glaucoma patients, with the goal of developing targeted therapies to improve optic nerve resilience. Current treatments for glaucoma have limitations, and this research aims to identify new approaches to prevent vision loss. Funding for this project is provided by various foundations and research organizations.

graziani
Download Presentation

Boosting Optic Nerve Energy to Slow Glaucoma Research

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Glaucoma Research Boosting optic nerve energy to slow glaucoma Ian Trounce Principal Investigator CERAWagstaff Fellow RVEEH

  2. The burden of glaucoma • 67 million world-wide • 6 million estimated blind • 7 million out-patient visits in the USA • 150,000 people in Australia • $145 million in direct health costs to Australia • Significant number of Australians with glaucoma are undiagnosed.

  3. Problems with current treatments • Eye pressure lowering is the only treatment proven to be effective in glaucoma • Lowering eye pressure does not always prevent progression • Cannot restore optic nerve tissue once lost

  4. Glaucoma Research Unit • Professor Jonathan Crowston, Principal Investigator • Translational research • Molecular and cellular research • Experimental models • Rodents, rabbits • Clinical research

  5. The cell’s powerhouse: The mitochondrion • ‘Burns’ fuels (food) • Produces energy (ATP) • Produces byproduct‘free radicals’ • Wears out with age

  6. Mitochondria: Power generators of our cells • IN: • Fuel • Carbohydrates • Fats • Proteins • O2 OUT: Energy (ATP) Free radicals CO2 H20 Heat

  7. Mitochondrial DNA - Maternal inheritance

  8. Douglas C. Wallace – University of Pennsylvania

  9. Complex I defect in glaucoma • Link to Parkinson’s disease? • Is it mitochondrial DNA-linked? • New collaboration with • Doug Wallace, Univ. Pennsylvania

  10. Highly energetic nerve cells with long axonsare prone to age-related decline The optic nerve - Glaucoma Dopamine neurons - Parkinson’s disease

  11. Exercise (and fasting) allow old optic nerves to recover from a pressure injury

  12. PhNR change at 1 month P=0016 P=0.0014 3.0 cd.s/m2 2.25 cd.s/m2 IOVS 2013

  13. Summary Mitochondrial energy generation is impaired in some glaucoma patients Diet moderation and exercise improve optic nerve resilience Is this due to increased mitochondrial ‘health’? Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA in glaucoma subjects underway Can we identify subjects with genetic markers who may respond to ‘mitochondrial boosting’ therapies?

  14. Can we drive increased Mitochondrial turnover to “recharge the batteries” Dietary restriction Exercise Resveratrol Other drugs e.g. Fibrates Metformin Rapamycin

  15. Thank you Funding Wagstaff Bequest (RVEEH) DHB Foundation Brockhoff Foundation (ANZ Trustees) – Leber Optic Atrophy stem cell study Mason Foundation (ANZ Trustees) – The ‘good’ Alzheimer protein & the ageing eye Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s disease – A mitochondrial PD model National Health and Medical Research Council

More Related