A global crew of researchers led by Lithuanian scientists present extra proof that intracranial strain performs an necessary function in normal-tension glaucoma, which accounts for as much as 50 per cent of all glaucoma instances. A latest medical research demonstrates that low intracranial strain correlates with impaired affected person visibility, particularly within the nasal zone.
Glaucoma, one of many main causes of blindness for individuals over the age of 60, is attributable to optic nerve injury. Usually, elevated strain inside the attention (known as intraocular strain or IOP) is detected in glaucoma sufferers. Nevertheless, not all individuals with ocular hypertension develop glaucoma. Furthermore, glaucoma can develop in instances of regular IOP. A so-called regular pressure glaucoma (NTG) prevalence amongst sufferers within the world inhabitants ranges from 30 to 90 per cent in keeping with completely different research.
Up to date medication has strategies to deal with elevated eye strain and to gradual and even cease the injury to the optic nerve. Nevertheless, these strategies don’t work within the case of regular pressure glaucoma. There’s a rising consciousness among the many scientific neighborhood, that glaucoma is a situation attributable to two pressures – inside the attention and the cranium.”
Arminas Ragauskas, Professor, Kaunas College of Expertise (KTU), Lithuania
Ragauskas, the Head of the Well being Telematics Science Institute at KTU, is the inventor of the non-invasive intracranial strain measurement expertise, used within the research described under.
He goes on to elucidate that anatomically, the optic nerve is related to the mind, and is surrounded by the cerebrospinal fluid. Each intracranial strain (ICT), which is strain inside our cranium, measured within the cerebrospinal fluid, and intraocular strain (IOP) can have an effect on the situation of the optic nerve. Just lately, researchers have targeted on the stability between the 2 pressures, i.e. translaminar strain distinction (TPD) and its connection to glaucoma improvement.
A medical research revealed attainable hyperlinks between mind strain and glaucoma
80 early-stage regular pressure glaucoma (NTG) sufferers have been enrolled in a latest research performed by researchers from Lithuanian, Israeli and American universities. The themes have been chosen from the 300 NTG sufferers referred to the Eye Clinic on the Lithuanian College of Well being Sciences between January and October 2018.
A number of measurements together with intraocular (IOP), intracranial pressures (ICP) and visible discipline perimetry have been recorded throughout the research. The translaminar strain distinction (TPD) was calculated in keeping with the components TPD = IOP – ICP. The visible discipline was divided into 5 zones: nasal, temporal, peripheral, central and paracentral.
The research revealed a number of statistically vital correlations between intracranial strain, TPD and visible discipline modifications. The upper the TPD, the extra vital damages to the affected person’s visible discipline have been registered. Essentially the most vital visible discipline losses occurred within the nasal zone.
“Visible discipline loss means just one factor – an individual is turning into blind. That is why it’s so necessary to grasp the causes of this situation and to reverse it. We’re all conscious of the dire end result,” says Prof Ragauskas.
Researchers conclude that larger TPD may very well be estimated as a danger issue for the adverse improvement of regular pressure glaucoma. As translaminar strain distinction is calculated by subtracting ICP from IOP, the decrease the intracranial strain measure, the upper the TPD. Thus, in normal-tension glaucoma, lowered intracranial strain is a attainable danger issue.
Expertise invented in Lithuania used within the research
“The concept that mind strain is said to the visible discipline just isn’t new. A number of years in the past, we performed a sequence of experiments learning the hyperlinks between visible discipline and intracranial strain, utilizing the non-invasive expertise developed right here, at KTU. Within the conferences that adopted, I noticed how our new thought was met with pleasure by the worldwide neighborhood of ophthalmologists,” says Prof Ragauskas.
Intracranial strain’s correlation with glaucoma opens new avenues for medical professionals to analysis the explanation and attainable remedy of this pathology. Additionally, in recent times, proof supporting this speculation poured in from science teams working around the globe. Prof Ragauskas says that his analysis has, instantly and not directly, contributed to the rising pool of information on the subject.
Within the above-described research, the intracranial strain measurement was obtained through a two-depth Transcranial Doppler (Vittamed UAB, Lithuania) developed by Prof Ragauskas’ crew on the Kaunas College of Expertise labs. In contrast to the same old intracranial strain measuring process, which entails the drilling of a small-sized gap into the affected person’s cranium, Prof Ragauskas’ invention permits measuring mind strain non-invasively by the attention utilizing ultrasound. Varied industrial functions of the invention have been patented within the US and Europe.
“We aren’t competing with invasive strategies, however heading in the direction of a completely new route. In the intervening time, I see that ophthalmology is the sector the place our expertise is required most, and we’re utilizing it for analysis functions. Nevertheless, we’re consistently creating our invention and have lately patented a few new functions, which may be utilized in different contexts the place measuring intracranial strain is essential. For instance, in long-term area missions,” says KTU professor Ragauskas.
