| Serious Visual Side Effects Found With New AMD | | | | are likely to affect the aging populations, AMD |
| Treatment | | | | ranked lowest in the list. |
| A study in the August 2008 New England Journal | | | | The AMDAI spoke for the necessity of increased |
| of Medicine (NEJM) suggested that Dry AMD--a | | | | understanding about AMD. In the web document |
| form of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) | | | | related to the study, the chair of the organization |
| found in eight to nine million Americans--may be | | | | David Herman says, "This study clearly indicates |
| associated with a gene in our body. The study | | | | that there is a low level of concern about AMD |
| also found that in individuals with this genetic | | | | and many people aren't seeking adequate eye |
| variation, a currently practiced modern treatment | | | | care until the disease has reached more of an |
| for AMD may lead to serious adverse | | | | advanced stage." As antioxidants help keep the |
| consequences, including blindness. | | | | eyes healthy (for example, by cutting the risk and |
| Researcher Kang Zhang and co-workers from the | | | | slowing the progress of AMD)--regular intake of |
| Shiley Eye Center at the University of California, | | | | antioxidant-rich nutritional supplements may be of |
| San Diego, found that a key protein that alerts | | | | some practical help for people who avoid visit an |
| our immune system to the presence of viral | | | | eye doctor at regular intervals. |
| infections--called Toll-like Receptor 3 (TLR3)--was | | | | More Support for Biochemistry of Antioxidants in |
| linked with dry AMD. Zhang and co-workers also | | | | the Treatment of AMD |
| noted that if individuals with a genetic variant of | | | | The Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC), has |
| TLR3 are treated with a modern treatment for | | | | reconfirmed that antioxidants substantially help |
| AMD--called RNA interference (RNAi)--they could | | | | combat AMD in a study published on September |
| be at risk for serious adverse effects, including | | | | 9, 2008. |
| blindness. RNAi is a modern modality of treatment | | | | The study showed two damaging processes in |
| that is used to silence the genes related to | | | | retina that play an important role in the |
| various disease conditions. | | | | development of AMD. Conducted by researchers |
| The study links the occurrence of dry AMD with | | | | from Brigham Young University (BYU) and Cornell |
| a genetic variation of TLR3, which indicates that | | | | University, the research also found that |
| some persons with this particular genetic variation | | | | antioxidants fight against AMD by significantly |
| will be more prone to develop dry AMD. Given | | | | disrupting the link between those two processes |
| that gene test is emerging as a new trend in | | | | (in retina) and extending the lifetime of the |
| personal health, genetic linkage of dry AMD may | | | | irreplaceable photoreceptors and other cells in |
| help people know--through gene tests--whether | | | | retina. "The implication is that people at risk of |
| they've propensity for the disease. And this in | | | | macular degeneration could help prevent the |
| turn may help them adopt proper preventive | | | | disease by consuming antioxidants," says, in a |
| measures to stay away from the disease. The | | | | news release, Heidi Vollmer-Snarr, co-author of |
| second component of the study has raised the | | | | the study and a chemist at the BYU. |
| question of safety in adopting modern treatments | | | | The authors explained the role that antioxidants |
| for AMD. It has cited the evidence that a new | | | | play in tackling AMD. In the study, the researchers |
| treatment approach for AMD--RNAi--may lead to | | | | looked at a compound called A2E (which is a |
| serious adverse consequences, including blindness. | | | | byproduct of natural cellular activity) and damage |
| This finding has reinforced the position of | | | | to mitochondria (the power plants present inside |
| nutritional treatment in AMD, because treatment | | | | the cells). The researchers found that when |
| of AMD with nutritional supplements is safe and | | | | oxidative stress is created on A2E, by light |
| substantially effective. | | | | exposure, it disrupts the energy production in |
| Elderly People Remain in the Dark About | | | | mitochondria. It results a shortage of energy |
| Age-Related Macular Degeneration | | | | inside the cells which in turn hampers the daily |
| Research released this month by the | | | | cleaning and maintenance of photoreceptors and |
| Toronto-based AMD Alliance International (AMDAI) | | | | other type of retinal cells. "The result is more A2E |
| showed that AMD ranked lowest among a list of | | | | buildup, and the cycle of destruction hastens the |
| conditions that are likely to affect the aging | | | | death of these vital visual cells, which are not |
| population, when participants in that study were | | | | replaced when they die," says a BYU news |
| asked how much they know about those | | | | release associated with the study, adding, "The |
| conditions. | | | | experiments performed with visual cells from |
| This study suggested that people lack knowledge | | | | rats, cows and humans showed that antioxidants |
| and concern regarding AMD, and it is preventing | | | | could completely counter the damage." Regarding |
| them from taking critical steps to halt or slow the | | | | the role of antioxidants in AMD, research in past |
| progression of the disease. According to the | | | | suggested that antioxidants found in nutritional |
| study, amid those who had a high propensity for | | | | supplements (for example, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, |
| loss of vision due to AMD, only 56 percent of the | | | | Vitamin E and beta-carotene) work as scavengers |
| participants met an eye specialist once a year and | | | | for free radicals and protect the retina against |
| more. That apart, when the participants were | | | | damages caused by oxidative stress. |
| asked about their knowledge about conditions that | | | | |