[Morphological changes in retinal neurons in rats with streptozotocin diabetes and their correction by O-isobornylphenol derivative].

Along with microangiopathy, degeneration of retinal neurons is one of the basic causes of blindness in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Using the electronic microscopy and morphometric analysis, the structural changes of neurosensory cells, associative and ganglionic retinal neurons were studied in 30 albino outbred male rats with long term (2 months) streptozotocin diabetes and the effect of a new semisynthetic antioxidant belonging to a group of strictly hindered phenols (4-methyl-2,6-diisobornylphenol) on these parameters was evaluated. In diabetic rats, the destructive changes of external segments of neurosensory cells and ganglionic retinal neurons were found. The numerical density of neurosensory and ganglionic cells was reduced, while the proportion of these cells with pyknotic nuclei was increased. 4-Methyl-2,6-diisobornylphenol demonstrated neuroprotective effect by preventing destructive changes of neurosensory cells and ganglionic retinal neurons.