Targeting lateral inhibition to improve vision following macular degeneration

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Whilst most patients lose sight owing to atrophic changes, no treatments currently exist that improve the vision deficit due to atrophy. Here, we identify loss of lateral inhibition as a specific mechanism by which photoreceptor degeneration reduces visual function beyond the atrophic area. We find that this inhibition is adaptive, and that if modulated can improve visual function, making inhibitory circuits an unexpected therapeutic target for age related macular degeneration and related disorders.