Optimal Control in the Treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa

Authors

Erika T. Camacho
Luis A. Melara
Cristina Villalobos, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Stephen Wirkus

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-2014

Abstract

Numerous therapies have been implemented in an effort to minimize the debilitating effects of the degenerative eye disease Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), yet none have provided satisfactory long-term solution. To date there is no treatment that can halt the degeneration of photoreceptors. The recent discovery of the RdCVF protein has provided researchers with a potential therapy that could slow the secondary wave of cone death. In this work, we build on an existing mathematical model of photoreceptor interactions in the presence of RP and incorporate various treatment regiments via RdCVF. Our results show that an optimal control exists for the administration of RdCVF. In addition, our numerical solutions show the experimentally observed rescue effect that the RdCVF has on the cones.

Comments

Original published version available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-013-9919-1

Recommended Citation

Camacho, E.T., Melara, L.A., Villalobos, M.C. et al. Optimal Control in the Treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa. Bull Math Biol 76, 292–313 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-013-9919-1

Publication Title

Bull Math Biol

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-013-9919-1