advertisement

---

1 General aspects (0)   1.1 Epidemiology (4)   1.2 Population genetics (15)   1.3 Pathogenesis (11)   1.4 Quality of life (3)   1.5 Glaucomas as cause of blindness (1)   1.6 Prevention and screening (0) 2 Anatomical structures in glaucoma (0)   2.1 Conjunctiva (0)   2.2 Cornea (3)   2.3 Sclera (3)   2.4 Anterior chamber angle (0)   2.5 Meshwork (7)     2.5.1 Trabecular meshwork (0)     2.5.2 Schlemms canal (0)     2.5.3 Scleral outlet channels (0)   2.6 Aqueous humor dynamics (2)     2.6.1 Production (0)     2.6.2 Outflow (0)       2.6.2.1 Trabecular meshwork (0)       2.6.2.2 Uveoscleral (0)     2.6.3 Compostion (0)   2.7 Episcleral veins and venous pressure (0)   2.8 Iris (0)   2.9 Ciliary body (2)   2.10 Lens (0)   2.11 Vitreous body (0)   2.12 Choroid, peripapillary choroid, peripapillary atrophy (1)   2.13 Retina and retinal nerve fibre layer (5)   2.14 Optic disc (14)   2.15 Optic nerve (2)   2.16 Chiasma and retrochiasmal central nervous system (4)   2.17 Stem cells (0)   2.20 Other (0) 3 Laboratory methods (0)   3.1 Microscopy (0)   3.2 Electron microscopy (0)   3.3 Immunohistochemistry (0)   3.4 Molecular genetics (0)     3.4.1 Linkage studies (0)     3.4.2 Gene studies (0)   3.5 Molecular biology incl. SiRNA (0)   3.6 Cellular biology (0)   3.7 Biochemistry (0)   3.8 Pharmacology (0)   3.9 Pathophysiology (0)   3.10 Immunobiology (0)   3.11 Pharmacogenetics (0)   3.12 Proteomics (0)   3.13 In vivo imaging (0)     3.13.1 Laser Scanning (0)       3.13.1.1 Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy (0)       3.13.1.2 Confocal Scanning Laser Polarimetry (0)     3.13.2 Optical Coherence Tomography (0)       3.13.2.1 Anterior Segment (0)       3.13.2.2 Posterior Segment (0)     3.13.3 RGC Imaging (0)     3.13.4 Other (0)   3.20 Other (0) 4 Tissue culture of ocular cells (0) 5 Experimental glaucoma; animal models (0)   5.1 Rodent (0)   5.2 Primates (0)   5.3 Other (0) 6 Clinical examination methods (0)   6.1 Intraocular pressure measurement; factors affecting IOP (5)     6.1.1 Devices, techniques (0)     6.1.2 Fluctuation, circadian rhythms (0)     6.1.3 Factors affecting IOP (0)   6.2 Tonography, aqueous flow measurement (see also 2.6) (0)   6.3 Biomicroscopy (slitlamp) (0)     6.3.1 Anterior segment (0)     6.3.2 Posterior segment (0)   6.4 Gonioscopy (0)   6.5 Ophthalmoscopy (0)   6.6 Visual field examination and other visual function tests (0)     6.6.1 Conventional manual (0)     6.6.2 Automated (5)     6.6.3 Special methods (e.g. color, contrast, SWAP etc.) (6)   6.7 Electro-ophthalmodiagnosis (1)   6.8 Photography (0)     6.8.1 Anterior segment (1)     6.8.2 Posterior segment (17)   6.9 Computerized image analysis (0)     6.9.1 Laser scanning (0)       6.9.1.1 Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy (0)       6.9.1.2 Confocal Scanning Laser Polarimetry (0)     6.9.2 Optical coherence tomography (0)       6.9.2.1 Anterior (0)       6.9.2.2 Posterior (0)     6.9.5 Other (0)   6.10 Fluorescein (ICG) angiography (0)     6.10.1 Anterior segment (0)     6.10.2 Posterior segment (0)   6.11 Bloodflow measurements (0)   6.12 Ultrasonography and ultrasound biomicroscopy (0)   6.13 Provocative tests (0)   6.19 Telemedicine (1)   6.20 Progression (0)   6.30 Other (0) 8 Refractive errors in relation to glaucoma (1)   8.1 Myopia (1)   8.2 Hypermetropia (1)   8.3 Contact lenses (0)   8.4 Refractive surgical procedures (0)   8.5 Other (0) 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas (1)   9.1 Developmental glaucomas (2)     9.1.1 Congenital glaucoma, Buphthalmos (1)     9.1.2 Juvenile glaucoma (0)     9.1.3 Syndromes of Axenfeld, Rieger, Peters, aniridia (1)     9.1.4 Other (1)   9.2 Primary open angle glaucomas (0)     9.2.1 Ocular hypertension (1)     9.2.2 Other risk factors for glaucoma (2)     9.2.3 Open angle glaucoma with elevated IOP (0)     9.2.4 Normal pressure glaucoma (3)   9.3 Primary angle closure glaucomas (0)     9.3.1 Acute primary angle closure glaucoma (pupillary block) (0)     9.3.2 Chronic primary angle closure glaucoma (pupillary block) (1)     9.3.3 Plateau iris syndrome (1)     9.3.4 Primary angle closure suspect (0)     9.3.5 Primary angle closure (0)     9.3.10 Other (2)   9.4 Glaucomas associated with other ocular and systemic disorders (0)     9.4.1 Steroid-induced glaucoma (2)     9.4.2 Glaucomas associated with disorders of the cornea, conjunctiva, sclera (1)       9.4.2.1 Iridocorneal endothelial syndrome (ICE, incl. irisatrophy) (0)       9.4.2.2 Posterior polymorphous dystrophy (0)       9.4.2.3 Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (0)       9.4.2.5 Other (0)     9.4.3 Glaucomas associated with disorders of the iris and ciliary body (0)       9.4.3.1 Pigmentary glaucoma (1)       9.4.3.5 Other (0)     9.4.4 Glaucomas associated with disorders of the lens (0)       9.4.4.1 Exfoliation syndrome (10)       9.4.4.2 Glaucomas associated with cataracts (1)       9.4.4.3 Glaucomas associated with lens dislocation (0)       9.4.4.5 Other (0)     9.4.5 Glaucomas associated with disorders of the retina, choroid and vitreous (0)       9.4.5.1 Neovascular glaucoma (1)       9.4.5.5 Other (0)     9.4.6 Glaucomas associated with inflammation, uveitis (2)     9.4.7 Glaucomas associated with ocular trauma (0)     9.4.8 Glaucomas associated with intraocular tumors (2)     9.4.9 Glaucomas associated with elevated episcleral venous pressure (0)       9.4.10 Glaucomas associated with hemorrhage (0)     9.4.11 Glaucomas following intraocular surgery (1)       9.4.11.1 Ciliary block (malignant) glaucoma (1)       9.4.11.2 Glaucomas in aphakia and pseudophakia (0)       9.4.11.3 Epithelial, fibrous, and endothelial proliferation (0)       9.4.11.4 Glaucomas associated with corneal surgery (4)       9.4.11.5 Glaucomas associated with vitreoretinal surgery (1)     9.4.15 Glaucoma in relation to systemic disease (2)     9.4.20 Other (0) 10 Differential diagnosis e.g. anterior and posterior ischemic optic neuropathy (0) 11 Medical treatment (1)   11.1 General management, indication (4)   11.2 Cholinergic drugs (1)   11.3 Adrenergic drugs (0)     11.3.1 Epinephrine (0)     11.3.2 Thymoxamine, dapiprazole (0)     11.3.3 Apraclonidine, brimonidine (8)     11.3.4 Betablocker (5)     11.3.5 Other (0)   11.4 Prostaglandins (21)   11.5 Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (0)     11.5.1 Systemic (0)     11.5.2 Topical (6)   11.6 Osmotic treatment (0)   11.7 Treatment of bloodflow (1)   11.8 Neuroprotection (5)   11.9 Gene therapy (2)   11.13 Combination therapy (0)     11.13.1 Betablocker and pilocarpine (0)     11.13.2 Betablocker and carbon anhydrase inhibitor (0)     11.13.3 Betablocker and brimonidine (0)     11.13.4 Betablocker and prostaglandin (0)     11.13.5 Other (0)   11.14 Investigational drugs; pharmacological experiments (4)   11.15 Other drugs in relation to glaucoma (3)   11.16 Vehicles, delivery systems, pharmacokinetics, formulation (4)   11.17 Cooperation with medical therapy e.g. persistency, compliance, adherence (0)   11.20 Other (2) 12 Surgical treatment (1)   12.1 General management, indication (3)   12.2 Laser iridotomy (4)   12.3 Laser iridoplasty (0)   12.4 Laser trabeculoplasty and other laser treatment of the angle (0)   12.7 Surgical iridectomy (0)   12.8 Filtering surgery (0)     12.8.1 Without tube implant (3)     12.8.2 With tube implant or other drainage devices (10)     12.8.3 Non-perforating (7)     12.8.4 Using laser (1)     12.8.5 Other (3)     12.8.10 Woundhealing antifibrosis (10)     12.8.11 Complications, endophthalmitis (6)   12.9 Trabeculotomy, goniotomy (1)   12.10 Cyclodestruction (3)   12.11 Cyclodialysis (0)   12.12 Cataract extraction (1)     12.12.1 Intracapsular (0)     12.12.2 Extracapsular (1)     12.12.3 Phacoemulsification (0)   12.14 Combined cataract extraction and glaucoma surgery (0)     12.14.1 Intracapsular (0)     12.14.2 Extracapsular (1)     12.14.3 Phacoemulsification (0)   12.15 Capsulotomy (0)   12.16 Vitrectomy (0)   12.17 Anesthesia (5)   12.20 Other (0) 13 Therapeutic prognosis and outcome (1)   13.1 Prognostic factors (0)   13.2 Outcome (0)     13.2.1 IOP (0)     13.2.2 Visual field (0)       13.2.2.1 Progression (0)       13.2.2.2 Improvement (0)     13.2.3 Other (0) 14 Costing studies; pharmacoeconomics (1) 15 Miscellaneous (4)

---

Abstract #18375 Published in IGR 3-3

Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists are neuroprotective in experimental models of glaucoma

Wheeler LA; Woldemussie E
European Journal of Ophthalmology 2001; 11: Suppl 2 S30-S35

---

PURPOSE: The glaucomas are characterized by chronic progressive ganglion cell loss over many years. A drug with neuroprotective activity should increase the resistance of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) to chronic stress or injury and therefore enhance survival. Brimonidine is a highly selective and potent alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist, which lowers intraocular pressure (IOP) and is neuroprotective. Immunohistochemistry data have shown that the specific receptor targets, the alpha-2 receptors, are located in the inner retina. METHODS: Brimonidine 0.1 mg/kg given intraperitoneally promoted RGC survival compared with vehicle using the optic nerve crush model even when administered up to 24 hours before injury. Using the chronic ocular hypertensive rat model, brimonidine 1 mg/ kg/day (with osmotic pump) significantly prevented the loss of RGCs when compared with vehicle or timolol. This ability was due to the neuroprotective action of brimonidine, since it did not affect IOP. In addition, brimonidine 0.1 mg/day reached concentrations in the retina of Sprague-Dawley rats within 30 minutes of injection, which was sufficient to activate the alpha-2 receptor ( 2 nM) and maintained these concentrations for six hours. CONCLUSIONS: Having demonstrated that: a. the specific receptor target of brimonidine is located in the retina, which is important for optic neuroprotection; b. the agent shows neuroprotective ability in animal models; and c. pharmacological concentrations of the drug can be reached in the retina, a clinical trial has been initiated to determine whether brimonidine is neuroprotective in patients with nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy.

Dr L.A. Wheeler, Department of Biological Sciences, Allergan Inc, 2525 Dupont Drive, Irvine, CA 92612, USA. Wheeler_Larry@allergan.com

---

Classification:

11.3.3 Apraclonidine, brimonidine (Part of: 11 Medical treatment > 11.3 Adrenergic drugs)

---

• ← Previous
• Next →

---