Diabetes & Metabolism Journal  2014;38(3):163-170

doi:10.4093/dmj.2014.38.3.163

Interrelationships between the Retinal Neuroglia and Vasculature in Diabetes.

Timothy S KERN 1

Affiliations

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Keywords

Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic retinopathy; Neurovascular coupling; Photoreceptors; Retina

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

For years, diabetic retinopathy has been defined based on vascular lesions, and neural abnormalities were not regarded as important. This review summarizes evidence that the neural retina has important effects on the retinal vasculature under normal conditions, and the interaction between the retinal neuroglial cells and vascular function is altered in diabetes. Importantly, new evidence raises a possibility that abnormalities within retinal neuroglial cells (notably photoreceptors) might actually be causing or initiating the vascular disease in diabetic retinopathy.