Assessment of optic neuropathy as a result of direct and indirect injury using non- invasive functional and structural analytical tools

.............................................................................................................................v CHAPTER I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION .......................................................................1 Dissertation organization ...............................................................................................1 Literature Review I: Non-invasive imaging of the optic nerve .....................................2 Literature Review II: Parkinson’s disease – more than just a motor disorder ...............5 Literature Review III: Blast exposure and traumatic brain injury ...............................11 CHAPTER II. CHARACTERIZATION OF STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE MOUSE RETINA USING PATTERN ELECTRORETINOGRAPHY, PUPIL LIGHT REFLEX AND OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ...........................................................18 Abstract ........................................................................................................................18.......................................................................................................................18 Introduction ..................................................................................................................19 Materials and Methods .................................................................................................20 Results ..........................................................................................................................24 Discussion ....................................................................................................................26 Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................30 Figures..........................................................................................................................30 Figure Legends.............................................................................................................34 CHAPTER III. PROTEIN KINASE C DELTA MEDIATES RETINAL GANGLION CELL FUNCTION LOSS FOLLOWING MPTP TREATMENT IN MICE................................................................37 Abstract ........................................................................................................................37.......................................................................................................................37