Diabetes Metab J.  2014 Jun;38(3):163-170. 10.4093/dmj.2014.38.3.163.

Interrelationships between the Retinal Neuroglia and Vasculature in Diabetes

• Kern TS

• KMID: 2280685
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2014.38.3.163

Abstract

For years, diabetic retinopathy has been defined based on vascular lesions, and neural abnormalities were not regarded as important. This review summarizes evidence that the neural retina has important effects on the retinal vasculature under normal conditions, and the interaction between the retinal neuroglial cells and vascular function is altered in diabetes. Importantly, new evidence raises a possibility that abnormalities within retinal neuroglial cells (notably photoreceptors) might actually be causing or initiating the vascular disease in diabetic retinopathy.

Keyword

Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic retinopathy; Neurovascular coupling; Photoreceptors; Retina

MeSH Terms

Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetic Retinopathy
Neuroglia*
Retina
Retinaldehyde*
Vascular Diseases
Retinaldehyde

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Comparison of neural and vascular interactions in (A) nondiabetic and (B) diabetic conditions. Normally, neural metabolism influences blood delivery to neural tissues, and the increase in local blood flow after increased neural activity maintains the interaction between these two compartments. In diabetes, both neural signaling to the vasculature, and the delivery of nutrients to the retina become impaired.

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