This research group studied the effects of providing oral supplementation with a Nutraceutical formulation to mice with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa. Nutraceuticals are natural compounds that reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are known to be present in RP. The mice in the study all had genetic mutations that would result in them developing RP. The researchers gave some of these mice the nutraceuticals and others did not receive any. They looked for differences in the two groups including how they responded to a number of tests and how their retinas appeared under a microscope. They found that the mice that received the nutraceutical supplement had less inflammation in the retina and had more photoreceptors remaining than the group that did not get a supplement. There was also a partial preservation of electrical responses to light stimuli seen in the retina of mice given the nutraceutical supplement, suggesting that their retinas were more responsive to light.
What this means for Usher syndrome: This research suggests that supplementation with nutraceuticals aimed at reducing oxidative stress and inflammation could help preserve vision in mice with RP. Therefore, this type of supplement could be studied further in humans to see if there are similar effects.
