Proper nutrition will protect against macular degeneration
Scientists from Brigham Young University and Cornell University, working under the guidance of Dr. Heidi Vollmer-Snarr, have established a relationship between two processes occurring in the retina of the eye, the combination of which contributes to the development of macular degeneration. They demonstrated that antioxidants disrupt this relationship and prolong the life of irreplaceable receptors and other retinal cells.
Age-related macular degeneration is quite common among people over the age of 50 and begins with the loss of central vision, gradually turning into complete blindness. The mechanisms underlying this disease are still far from fully understood.
Scientists have found that the retina is destroyed by two synergistically acting processes: accumulation of the compound A2E (N-retinyldiene-N-retinylethanolamine), which is the main autofluorescent component of the retinal pigment lipofuscin, and damage to the mitochondria – the "energy factories" of the cell.
Problems begin when A2E is exposed to oxidative stress caused by exposure to light. Under such conditions, A2E disrupts the process of energy production in mitochondria. The resulting energy deficit reduces the efficiency of self-purification of photoreceptors and other types of retinal cells.
This, in turn, leads to the accumulation of even more A2E. The emerging destructive cycle leads to the death of non-renewable cells. Experiments conducted on the visual cells of rats, cows and humans have demonstrated that the use of antioxidants can completely eliminate such damage destruction.
The authors believe that an antioxidant-rich diet, including artichokes, blueberries, pecans and other plant products, can partially reduce the incidence of macular degeneration and, accordingly, age-related blindness in industrialized countries.
In addition, they suggest using the mechanism they discovered in the fight against malignant tumors. The proposed strategy is to introduce potentially destructive compounds (such as A2E) into the tumor growth zone and then expose to light, triggering the destructive process.
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru based on ScienceDaily – How Diet, Antioxidants Prevent Blindness In Aging Population
01.10.2008