Coma, retinal diseases, retinal ganglion cells, endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids. 1. INTRODUCTION: GLAUCOMA AND RETINAL NEURODEGENERATION Glaucoma

Coma, retinal diseases, retinal ganglion cells, endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids. 1. INTRODUCTION: GLAUCOMA AND RETINAL NEURODEGENERATION Glaucoma comprises a group of eye disorders that can bring about progressive and/or irreversible blindness. It impacts the elderly but is becoming extra widespread also amongst younger people today as well as youngsters [1, 2]. Glaucoma is normally caused by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), despite the fact that other things are involved which include progressive harm of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), known as “the messengers of retina”, top to optic nerve degeneration [35]. These circumstances cause distinct visual field defects, and at some point comprehensive vision loss [6]. In turn, apoptotic death of RGCs inAddress correspondence to these authors at the Oxypurinol Description Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy; Tel: 39 0861 266842; E mail: [email protected] along with the Department of Medicine, Campus BioMedico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy; Tel: 39 06 225419169; E mail: [email protected] 1570159X/18 58.00.glaucoma is on account of distinctive defects within the connection among central nervous technique (CNS) and retina, including faults of reactive glia, synaptic connectivity and axonal transport, neurotrophic aspect deprivation, proapoptotic signaling activation of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, at the same time as excitotoxicity and ��-Aminopropionitrile Data Sheet oxidative tension [7, 8]. Apart from glaucoma, RGC neurodegeneration occurs in many other ocular pathologies such as diabetic retinopathy (DR), agerelated macular degeneration (AMD) and a few inherited retinal issues at the same time as in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s illness, where the retina seems to be an early website of damage [911]. However, indicators of pigmentary retinopathy and degeneration of retinal nerve fibers have been identified in another form of neurodegenerative disorder referred to as autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias [12, 13]. Other regions potentially impacted are retinal microvessels, in DR [14], and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors, together with vascular and RGC damages, in AMD [15, 16].018 Bentham Science Publishers960 Current Neuropharmacology, 2018, Vol. 16, No.Rapino et al.So far by far the most effective intervention employed to block glaucoma progression would be the administration of drugs capable of lowering IOP, even though lots of sufferers have IOP inside the standard variety and illness progression can continue even when IOP is proficiently lowered [17, 18]. Additionally, glaucomatous damage is just not restricted to the eye, nevertheless it also includes central visual pathways and vascular ailments from the CNS [19]. Certainly, neurodegeneration in glaucoma shares several pathway components with other retinal and nonretinal neurodegenerative diseases, in order that an innovative therapeutic approach is now to maintain RGCs and photoreceptors alive to avoid irreversible damage of optic nerve, at the same time as synaptic connectivity and retinal microvascular alterations [20, 21]. Interestingly, the 5 most typical classes of drugs applied topically to lower IOP (2agonists, antagonists/blockers, prostaglandin analogs, carbonic anhydrase and cholinergic agents) possess an indirect neuroprotective action on the retina and/or optic nerve, by triggering mechanisms that incorporate neuronal, glial and vascular pathways [2224]. On the other hand, a lot of potential biochemical pathways are activated inside a receptordependent or independent manner by quite a few natural and synthetic compounds, that straight deliver neuroprotection: antioxida.