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Joan Stephenson, PhD

JAMA. 2007;298:1268.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Research by scientists in England and Italy suggest that amyloid beta protein, the major constituent of the brain plaques that are a hallmark of Alzheimer disease, might also be responsible for retinal cell death in patients with glaucoma (Guo L et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007;104[33]:13444-13449).

Using a rat model of glaucoma, the researchers found that amyloid beta accumulates in dying retinal ganglion cells and that adding this protein to retinal cells in vivo induced cell death. They also found that giving the animals agents that inhibit the formation and accumulation of amyloid beta reduced death of retinal ganglion cells, especially when given in combination.

Although current glaucoma therapy is aimed at lowering intraocular pressure, the disease can persist even when pressure-lowering medications are given or when pressure in the eye is normal. "Our work suggests that targeting the [amyloid beta] pathway . . . [Full Text of this Article]