Direct and consensual murine pupillary reflex metrics: Establishing normative values
Received 7 May 2009; received in revised form 25 June 2009; accepted 20 July 2009.
Abstract
Pupillometry is a non-invasive technique, based on well-established neurophysiologic principles, that can be utilized to objectively characterize pathophysiologic demyelinating and neurodegenerative changes involving the pupillary reflex pathway. In animal models of human disorders, pupillometry derived reflex metrics could potentially be used to longitudinally monitor disease activity and responses to pharmacotherapies. These investigations would have important implications for translational initiatives focused on the identification and application of novel neuroprotective and restorative treatments for human diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Here, we have established normal reference values for various pupillary reflex metrics across different mouse strains. Ultimately, we anticipate that this new data will help to catalyze unique lines of inquiry using pupillometry methods.
aDepartment of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, TX 75390-9036, USA
bDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, TX 75390, USA
cDepartment of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, TX 75390-9036, USA
dNeurology Section, VA North Texas Health Care System, Medical Service, 4500 South Lancaster Road, Dallas, TX 75216, USA
Corresponding authors. Stüve is to be contacted at Neurology Section, VA North Texas Health Care System, Medical Service, 4500 South Lancaster Rd., Dallas, TX 75216, USA. Vernino, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75235, USA.