Simvastatin treatment does not protect retinal ganglion cells from degeneration in a rat model of autoimmune optic neuritis
2005 | journal article; research paper. A publication with affiliation to the University of Göttingen.
Jump to: Cite & Linked | Documents & Media | Details | Version history
Cite this publication
Simvastatin treatment does not protect retinal ganglion cells from degeneration in a rat model of autoimmune optic neuritis
Sattler, M.; Diem, R. ; Merkler, D. ; Demmer, I. ; Boger, I.; Stadelmann, C. & Bähr, M. (2005)
Experimental Neurology, 193(1) pp. 163-171. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expneurol.2004.12.010
Documents & Media
Details
- Authors
- Sattler, Michael; Diem, Ricarda ; Merkler, Doron ; Demmer, Iris ; Boger, I.; Stadelmann, Christine ; Bähr, Mathias
- Abstract
- In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), non-remitting deficits are mainly caused by axonal and neuronal damage. We demonstrated previously that myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in rats provokes severe axonal and neuronal injury even before clinical manifestation of the disease. In our present study, we investigated effects of simvastatin treatment on degeneration of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) bodies as well as their axons during MOG-induced optic neuritis. Electrophysiological functions of optic nerves and RGCs were analyzed in vivo. Although neuroprotective effects of simvastatin have been demonstrated before in other experimental settings, we did not observe an increase in RGC survival nor an improvement of visual functions. As we could not reproduce the anti-inflammatory effects that were observed under statin therapy in other EAE models, we hypothesize that patients suffering from optic neuritis might not take advantage of simvastatin applications. (c) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
- Issue Date
- 2005
- Publisher
- Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science
- Journal
- Experimental Neurology
- ISSN
- 0014-4886