The new online academic exchange conference on visual research is about to start this Thursday. We warmly welcome Dr. Anna Matynia from the School of Optometry at the University of Houston to give us a speech on "Visual Function of Normal Aging and Alzheimer's Model Mice"!

There are three key types of retinal cells between mice and humans - rod cells, cone cells, and endogenous photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) that express melanin, and their functions are very similar. This allows us to apply the research results of mice to human clinical practice, especially for evaluating retinal function in aging and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

Research has found that compared to normally aging mice and humans, ipRGCs in Alzheimer's disease mouse models and diseased humans regress earlier. IpRGCs play an important role in our visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and pupil response to light.

Dr. Anna's speech will discuss the impact of aging and Alzheimer's disease on these visual functions, and explore whether these functional changes can serve as early biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. Through simple, non-invasive behavioral testing, we can evaluate these functions with minimal damage to the experimental subjects.Click on the image below to enter the registration page!

Dr. Anna Matynia obtained a Ph.D. in the cell cycle of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from Baylor College of Medicine and completed postdoctoral training in molecular and behavioral research on mouse learning and memory at the University of California, Los Angeles, under the supervision of Dr. Alcino Silva. After entering the field of visual science, she began to study the neural pathways of light induced pain (photosensitivity) in migraines and corneal surface injuries, identifying the contributions of the retina and cornea using cell pathways expressing melanin. Her research has expanded to include additional ocular pathologies such as retinal hemangioblastoma and neurodegenerative effects in Alzheimer's disease models. Dr. Anna Matynia recently moved to the School of Optometry at the University of Houston as an associate professor, where she will continue to study the role of retinal and corneal nerve innervation in health and disease.