Distribution of pressure-induced fast axonal transport abnormalities in primate optic nerve. An autoradiographic study.

The distribution of transport abnormalities in primate optic nerve from eyes subjected to five hours of pressure elevation (perfusion pressure of 35 mm Hg) was studied. Tissue autoradiography and electron microscopy were used to localize regions of the lamina cribrosa with increased transport interruption. A preferential involvement by this transport abnormality involved the superior, temporal, and inferior portions, to the exclusion of the nasal portion, of the optic nerve head. This observation supports the hypothesis that transport interruption seen in this model may be pertinent to the study of clinical glaucomatous neuropathy.