Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat optic nerve injury recovery improved by BDNF treatment
By Weber, Arthur J & Harman, Christine D·Published in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science·2013·Department of Physiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: BDNF treatment and extended recovery from optic nerve trauma in the cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A cat with optic nerve damage received treatment with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to help restore its vision. The study found that treating both the injured eye and the visual cortex led to better survival of retinal cells compared to no treatment or treating just the eye. After two weeks of treatment, the cats showed significant improvement in their vision, and even after stopping treatment, many retained good visual function. This suggests that early and comprehensive treatment can help preserve vision after optic nerve injuries in cats.
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Abstract
PURPOSE: We examined the treatment period necessary to restore retinal and visual stability following trauma to the optic nerve. METHODS: Cats received unilateral optic nerve crush and no treatment (NT), treatment of the injured eye with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), or treatment of the injured eye combined with treatment of visual cortex for 2 or 4 weeks. After 1-, 2-, 4-, or 6-week survival periods, pattern electroretinograms (PERGs) were obtained and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival determined. RESULTS: In the peripheral retina, RGC survival for NT, eye only, and eye + cortex animals was 55%, 78%, and 92%, respectively, at 1 week, and 31%, 60%, and 93%, respectively, at 2 weeks. PERGs showed a similar pattern of improvement. After 4 weeks, RGC survival was 7%, 29%, and 53% in each group, with PERGs in the dual-treated animals similar to the 1- to 2-week animals. For area centralis (AC), the NT, eye only, and eye + cortex animals showed 47%, 78%, and 82% survival, respectively, at 2 weeks, and 13%, 54%, and 81% survival, respectively, at 4 weeks. Removing the pumps at 2 weeks resulted in ganglion cell survival levels of 76% and 74% in the AC at 4 and 6 weeks postcrush, respectively. The PERGs from 2-week treated, but 4- and 6-week survival animals were comparable to those of the 2-week animals. CONCLUSIONS: Treating the entire central visual pathway is important following optic nerve trauma. Long-term preservation of central vision may be achieved with as little as 2 weeks of treatment using this approach.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23989190/