Evidence mapPaperPMID 41227375Full record

ReviewCells2025

Aging and Corneal Nerve Health: Mechanisms of Degeneration and Emerging Therapies for the Cornea.

Hanieh Niktinat, Melinda Alviar, Marziyeh Kashani, Hamed Massoumi, Ali R Djalilian, Elmira Jalilian

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cells, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. The Impact of Aging and Sex on Corneal Nerve Density and Function.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Hanieh NiktinatDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Melinda AlviarDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Marziyeh KashaniDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Hamed MassoumiDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Ali R DjalilianDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Elmira JalilianDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4121-0517

Funding

NIH Core Grant for Vision Research EY01792 from NEI/NIH 5R01EY035681
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Corneal nerves play a crucial role in maintaining ocular surface homeostasis by supporting the functional integrity of corneal epithelial, stromal, and endothelial cells; modulating tear secretion; and facilitating sensory responses essential for overall ocular health. With advancing age, these highly specialized peripheral sensory fibers undergo progressive attrition and morphologic distortion driven by the canonical hallmarks of aging including genomic instability, impaired proteostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and chronic low-grade inflammation. The resulting neuro-immune dysregulation reduces trophic support, delays wound healing, and predisposes older adults to dry-eye disease, neurotrophic keratopathy, and postsurgical hypoesthesia. Age-exacerbating cofactors including diabetes, dyslipidemia, neurodegenerative disorders, topical preservatives, chronic contact-lens wear, herpes zoster ophthalmicus, and ocular-surface hypoxia further accelerate sub-basal nerve rarefaction and functional decline. This review provides an overview of age-related physiological alterations in ocular surface nerves, with a particular emphasis on corneal innervation. It also discusses risk factors that speed up these changes. Given the inherently limited regenerative capacity of corneal nerves and their inability to fully restore to baseline conditions following injury or degeneration, it is critical to identify and develop effective strategies aimed at mitigating or delaying physiological nerve degeneration and promoting nerve regeneration. This review also brings up emerging therapeutic strategies, including regenerative medicine, neuroprotective agents, and lifestyle interventions aimed at mitigating age-related corneal nerve degeneration.

Indexed as

AgingCorneaNerve DegenerationAnimalsHumansNerve Regenerationagingconfocal microscopycorneal nervesextracellular vesicles (EVs)nerve regenerationneurodegenerationocular surface diseasesubbasal nerve plexus

Identifiers

PMID41227375
PMCPMC12609739

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.