Molecular Aspects of Retinal Neurodegeneration and Neuroprotection
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2025
Special Issue Editor
Interests: diabetic retinopathy; AMPA excitotoxicity; neurodegeneration; neuroinflammation; vasculopathy; neuroprotection; endocannabinoid system; NADPH oxidases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Neurodegeneration plays a major role in the pathogenesis of retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. These diseases are chronic and progressive, leading to severe deterioration of visual acuity and irreversible blindness. Many investigations have suggested that retinal ischemia, excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and vascular dysfunction are important factors in the pathophysiology of all three neurodegenerative diseases. The development of new therapeutics, such as neuroprotectants, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory and vasculoprotective agents, has been the main focus of studies for many decades. It has also been suggested that the use of agents (e.g., neurotrophins and peptides) that are down-regulated in certain diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, may afford efficient neuroprotection. However, until now, no new therapeutic treatments have evolved, and current therapies continue to treat only the advanced stages of chronic retinal diseases.
With the hope that molecular insights into retinal neurodegeneration and neuroprotection of all the above mentioned diseases will be enriched, the main aim of this Special Issue is to encourage contributions of ongoing research into novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative retinal diseases that will prevent (a) their progress to a chronic state and (b) patients’ eyesight being compromised.
Prof. Dr. Kyriaki Thermos
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- retinal neurodegeneration
- neuroprotection
- therapeutic targets
- retinal ischemia
- excitotoxicity
- oxidative stress
- mitochondrial dysfunction
- neuroinflammation
- vascular dysfunction
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