BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Both diffusion tensor imaging and the apparent transverse relaxation rate have shown promise in differentiating Parkinson disease from atypical parkinsonism (particularly multiple system atrophy and progressive supranuclear palsy). The objective of the study was to assess the ability of DTI, the apparent transverse relaxation rate, and their combination for differentiatin...

The glaucomas is a group of complex and heterogeneous ocular diseases representing the second leading cause of blindness, and almost 75 million people are affected worldwide (Quigley 1999) being a major issue for public health. The prevalence of glaucoma increases with age (Friedman et al. 2006). The reported prevalence among whites in their 80s varies widely across these studies, with estimate...

THE proband, an intelligent and rather talkative woman aged 63 years, was seen by one of us (A.A.D.) for blind certification. The fundus appearances were highly unusual. She stated that she was a member of a large kinship living in Dundee, many members of which were affected by a disease of the eyes similar to her own. Her knowledge of the family history was so accurate and extensive and her in...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106610.].

PURPOSE To screen the alpha-subunit of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) phosphodiesterase (PDE6A) as a potential candidate gene for progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) in the Cardigan Welsh corgi dog. METHODS Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis was used to screen short introns of the canine PDE6A gene for informative polymorphisms in members of an extended pedigree of P...

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is the collective name of a class of hereditary retinal dystrophies in the dog and is often described as the equivalent of retinitis pigmentosa in humans. PRA is characterized by visual impairment due to degeneration of the photoreceptors in the retina, usually leading to blindness. PRA has been reported in dogs from more than 100 breeds and can be genetically ...

Optic atrophy is not a disease in itself but a clinical sign. It refers to pallor of the optic disc which results from irreversible damage to the retinal ganglion cells and axons. The axons of the retinal ganglion cells make up the optic nerve and continue onto the optic chiasm, optic tract and up to the lateral geniculate body before they synapse. Injury to the retinal ganglion cells and axons...

PURPOSE To study MR images for atrophic changes in the calcarine area resulting from retinal degeneration. METHODS MR images from nine patients with retinal degeneration confirmed by ophthalmologic examination and from 30 healthy volunteers were reviewed. The causes of retinal degeneration were hereditary pigmentary degeneration of the retina (four patients), high myopia (two patients), and c...

Pigmented paravenous retinochoroidal atrophy (PPRCA) is a rare ocular disease that is characterized by paravenous retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroidal atrophy often with overlying intraretinal bone spicule pigment deposition along retinal veins. The cause is unknown, and the course of the degeneration is unpredictable. Patients are usually asymptomatic, and the diagnosis is based on t...