Helicobacter pylori-derived outer membrane vesicles contribute to Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis via C3-C3aR signalling.

The gut microbiota represents a diverse and dynamic population of microorganisms that can influence the health of the host. Increasing evidence supports the role of the gut microbiota as a key player in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Unfortunately, the mechanisms behind the interplay between gut pathogens and AD are still elusive.

Characterizing the Retinal Phenotype of the Thy1-h[A30P]α-syn Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Despite decades of research, disease-modifying treatments of Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide, remain out of reach. One of the reasons for this treatment gap is the incomplete understanding of how misfolded alpha-synuclein (α-syn) contributes to PD pathology. The retina, as an integral part of the central nervous system, recapitulates the PD disease processes that are typically seen in the brain, and retinal manifestations have emerged as prodromal symptoms of the disease.

A Fair Assessment of Evaluation Tools for the Murine Microbead Occlusion Model of Glaucoma.

Despite being one of the most studied eye diseases, clinical translation of glaucoma research is hampered, at least in part, by the lack of validated preclinical models and readouts. The most popular experimental glaucoma model is the murine microbead occlusion model, yet the observed mild phenotype, mixed success rate, and weak reproducibility urge for an expansion of available readout tools. For this purpose, we evaluated various measures that reflect early onset glaucomatous changes in the murine microbead occlusion model.

A novel retinal ganglion cell quantification tool based on deep learning.

Glaucoma is a disease associated with the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), and remains one of the primary causes of blindness worldwide. Major research efforts are presently directed towards the understanding of disease pathogenesis and the development of new therapies, with the help of rodent models as an important preclinical research tool. The ultimate goal is reaching neuroprotection of the RGCs, which requires a tool to reliably quantify RGC survival.