Background:
Life expectancy is increasing all over the world, although neurodegenerative
disorders might drastically affect the individual activity of aged people. Of those, Alzheimer’s Disease
(AD) is one of the most social-cost age-linked diseases of industrialized countries. To date, retinal diseases
seem to be more common in the developing world and characterize principally aged people. Agerelated
Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a late-onset, neurodegenerative retinal disease that shares several
clinical and pathological features with AD, including stress stimuli such as oxidative stress, inflammation
and amyloid formations.
Method:
In both diseases, the detrimental intra/extra-cellular deposits have many similarities. Aging,
hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, arteriosclerosis and smoking are risk factors to develop
both diseases. Cellular aging routes have similar organelle and signaling patterns in retina and brain. The
possibility to find out new research strategies represent a step forward to disclose potential treatment for
both of them. Essential trace metals play critical roles in both physiological and pathological condition
of retina, optic nerve and brain, by influencing metabolic processes chiefly upon complex multifactorial
pathogenesis.
Conclusion:
Hence, this review addresses current knowledge about some up-to-date investigated essential
trace metals associated with AD and AMD. Changes in the levels of systemic and ocular fluid essential
metals might reflect the early stages of AMD, possibly disclosing neurodegeneration pathways
shared with AD, which might open to potential early detection.
