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Abstract #0028

Wallerian Degeneration in Visual Pathway Detected Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Liang H, Sun S, Song S, Cross A
Washington University

The injury to retinal ganglion cells results in damages of optic nerve and tract as a consequence of Wallerian degeneration. After retinal ischemia, in vivo DTI has been applied to differentiate axonal and myelin damage in optic nerve. It is expected that the axonal damage would progress through chiasm reaching the contralateral optic tract. In this study, transient retinal ischemia was induced in the right eye of mice. At 14 days after the ischemia, this study demonstrated that the damage in optic nerve progresses to the contralateral optic tract resulting in both axonal and myelin damage.