[The early diagnosis, evaluation of treatment results and modelling of certain aspects of the pathogenesis of retinal dystrophy].

The paper analyses results after a study of the functional state of pigmented epithelium and the retina in patients with a dry form of senile macular dystrophy as well as of experimental simulation of retinal dystrophy with the help of melatonin and its treatment by taurine. Melatonin in 10(-3) M concentration leads to development of dystrophic changes in pigmented epithelium and interacting with it structures, this being testified by remarkable lowering of EOG parameters and electron microscopic findings. Taurine in 10(-3) M concentration blocks the action of exogenic melatonin as well as has a pronounced positive action on metabolism of dystrophic changes in the pigmented epithelium and photoreceptors. Examination of patients with different stages of a dry form of senile macular dystrophy revealed statistically significant reduction of KA cEOG at the initial stage of the disease in the presence of normal ERG parameters. In 18% of patients, supernormal values of KA were recorded, that are likely to reflect the presence of "predystrophic hyperactivity" of the pigmented epithelium cells. In progression of the process, the further reduction of electrophysiologic values was recorded. The data obtained speaks about the important role of pigmented epithelium pathology in the pathogenesis of senile macular dystrophy and about high information value of the cEOG method for detection of early stages of the disease. It is believed that disturbances in melatonin metabolism can be one of causes leading to development of retinal dystrophy.