Loss of Neurons in Magnocellular and Parvocellular Layers of the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus in Glaucoma

Abstract
FOLLOWING the loss of afferent fibers in the central nervous system, target neurons are known first to become atrophic and then die by the process of transneuronal degeneration.1-3 In neurodegenerative diseases and brain trauma, the primary injury triggers transneuronal degeneration; this causes extension of the disease process to neurons relatively spared during the primary injury.4-6 Little information exists regarding neuronal changes in target central visual neurons following the loss of afferent optic nerve fibers in glaucoma.