Exercise-Induced Alterations on Visual Cortex in a Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration Model
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Banks, Jackson A.
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Pardue, Machelle
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Abstract
One of the leading causes of vision loss in older adults is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) which is caused by the degeneration of retinal cell-types driven by inflammation. This loss of vision can also be reflected in neuronal and inflammatory alterations in the visual cortex. In the retina, exercise has been shown to modulate the inflammatory response, potentially slowing down retinal degeneration; however, there is still ambiguity about the effect of exercise on the visual cortex in AMD patients. The motivation for this study is to understand the role physical exercise has on chemokine/cytokine response and microglia morphology within the visual cortex in a mouse model of light-induced retinal degeneration (LIRD). Mice were divided into exercise and non-exercise groups, and quantifications were assessed comparing all experimental groups. Molecular and structural assessments were performed to quantify differences between groups include cytokine/chemokine expression assay and immunofluorescence to quantify microglia morphology. By evaluating the influence exercise has on the inflammatory response in the visual cortex of retinal degeneration models, there is potential for further examinations of economically effective and non-invasive interventions to maintain visual utility in patients with AMD. Additionally, the results of this study can contribute to the advancement of physical therapeutic techniques and regimens for AMD patients in the goal of the enhancement of quality of life through neurological health.
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Undergraduate Thesis