Abstract
The present project will focus on three major groups of vision-threatening conditions: 1) diseases following long-term exposure to neuro-toxic drugs and/or substances (e.g., intoxication by organic solvents such as toluene and various forms of mercury-intoxication); 2) diseases resulting from the interaction between genetic and environmental components (e.g., diabetes and multiple sclerosis); 3) well-known genetic diseases (Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy). This approach has two broad objectives. The primary goal is to elucidate the mechanisms that cause functional and structural losses in the visual system, from retina to the central nervous system, and to compare these with mechanisms known to underly other neurodegenerative diseases. A second major goal is to establish new protocols and methods for early diagnosis. To achieve these goals, color vision, contrast sensitivity, visual acuity, hyperacuity functions and visual fields will be evaluated with psychophysical, electrophysiological, morphological, and genetic methodologies applied to both humans and animal models. The effect of such conditions on the human neuropsychological functions will also be evaluated. The project brings together basic and clinical research groups from several institutions: the Laboratório da Visão (Institute of Psychology, University of Sao Paulo), the Tropical Medicine Nucleus, the Laboratório de Neurobiologia, Center of Biological Sciences, and the Primate School, Institute of Psychology (Federal University of Pará) and the Histology Department of the Federal University of Paraná. (AU)
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