The retina is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body. In order to maintain normal function, effective blood flow autoregulation is crucial. Retinal vascular response changes are reported in the early stages of a number of ocular diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma.
The study of retinal vascular behavior and blood flow autoregulatory function is imperative to better understand the mechanisms behind these potentially blinding diseases. In addition, our increasing ability to directly study a central nervous system tissue – the retina, is creating new lines of research not only in ophthalmology but also in physiology and neuroscience. A number of non-invasive methods have been used to assess retinal vessel responses, including laser doppler flowmetry, laser doppler velocimetry, laser speckle flowgraphy, blue-field entoptoscopy, and color doppler imaging. Recently, optical coherence tomography angiography has also been proposed to study retinal vasculature function.
The available structural exams (e.g. spectral-domain and swept-source optical coherence tomography) already provide a very detailed anatomical study of the retina. However, in many ocular and neurological disorders, the ability to characterize both retinal anatomy and functional changes may improve our understanding of each condition and positively influence patient management, from diagnostics to therapeutics. The utility of optical coherence tomography to study the retinal vascular architecture changes may also help in the characterization of the autonomic nervous system function.
The scope of this Research Topic includes translational studies related to the evaluation of retinal vascular reactivity, such as the study of neurovascular coupling changes in ocular, neurological, and other disorders. Basic and clinical research that adds to the current understanding of retinal vascular functional aspects in both physiological and pathological conditions would also be considered. Proposals of innovative ways or techniques that would be feasible in clinical practice are particularly encouraged.
Photo by Cláudio Franco, PhD (Vascular Morphogenesis Laboratory, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, PT)
The retina is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body. In order to maintain normal function, effective blood flow autoregulation is crucial. Retinal vascular response changes are reported in the early stages of a number of ocular diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma.
The study of retinal vascular behavior and blood flow autoregulatory function is imperative to better understand the mechanisms behind these potentially blinding diseases. In addition, our increasing ability to directly study a central nervous system tissue – the retina, is creating new lines of research not only in ophthalmology but also in physiology and neuroscience. A number of non-invasive methods have been used to assess retinal vessel responses, including laser doppler flowmetry, laser doppler velocimetry, laser speckle flowgraphy, blue-field entoptoscopy, and color doppler imaging. Recently, optical coherence tomography angiography has also been proposed to study retinal vasculature function.
The available structural exams (e.g. spectral-domain and swept-source optical coherence tomography) already provide a very detailed anatomical study of the retina. However, in many ocular and neurological disorders, the ability to characterize both retinal anatomy and functional changes may improve our understanding of each condition and positively influence patient management, from diagnostics to therapeutics. The utility of optical coherence tomography to study the retinal vascular architecture changes may also help in the characterization of the autonomic nervous system function.
The scope of this Research Topic includes translational studies related to the evaluation of retinal vascular reactivity, such as the study of neurovascular coupling changes in ocular, neurological, and other disorders. Basic and clinical research that adds to the current understanding of retinal vascular functional aspects in both physiological and pathological conditions would also be considered. Proposals of innovative ways or techniques that would be feasible in clinical practice are particularly encouraged.
Photo by Cláudio Franco, PhD (Vascular Morphogenesis Laboratory, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, PT)