Ageing has a differential effect on nitric oxide synthase-containing and catecholaminergic amacrine cells in the human and rat retina

Abstract

In this study, we assessed the effects of normal ageing on the number, distribution, and somal area of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPHd)-positive (NADPHd+) and tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (TH-IR) amacrine cells in human and rat retina. By using a double-labelling immunohistochemical technique, we have shown that these two enzymes are located in separate amacrine cell populations in the human retina. In normal human retinas from organ donors, we have shown that there was no change in the number, somal area, or retinal distribution of NADPHd+ neurons over an age range of 19-89 years. In contrast, there was a significant decrease (P < 0.05) of 52% in the to..