The Distribution of Ganglion Cells in the Equine Retina and its Relationship to Skull Morphology

Abstract

It has recently been reported that a strong correlation exists between the distribution of retinal ganglion cells and nose length in the domestic dog. To determine if this phenomenon occurs in another domestic species with diverse skull morphology, the current study examined the distribution of retinal ganglion cells in 30 horses from a variety of breeds. There was a significant variation in the density of ganglion cells found across the retinae. Breed was a significant predictor for ganglion cell density within the visual streak. A strong positive correlation exists between the density of ganglion cells in the visual streak and nasal length. Significant variation was also seen in the area centralis but did not correlate with any of the recorded skull measurements. The findings of this study provide us with further understanding of the equine visual system and the level of variation that exists between individuals of the same species.