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Here is some preliminary research on mice to ameliorate RP and Age
Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). It might be something to look
for in the future if it ever makes it into human trails. <br>
Janice<br>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Subject:
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<td>news on blindness</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Date: </th>
<td>Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:18:56 -0400</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>Kelli Stein <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:kelli.stein@gmail.com"><kelli.stein@gmail.com></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:secretary@mwadb.org">secretary@mwadb.org</a></td>
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<div class="gmail_quote">From Andrew, our MWADB president:<br>
<br>
Please share with everyone.<br>
<br>
Thanks<br>
<br>
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Subject: Experimental Chemical Helps Blind Mice See<br>
<br>
<br>
WEDNESDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- A novel chemical
temporarily<br>
restored some vision to blind mice, and this success may
eventually<br>
lead to a treatment to help people with degenerative blindness
see<br>
again, according to a new study.<br>
<br>
Those who could benefit include people with retinitis pigmentosa
and<br>
age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Retinitis pigmentosa is
a<br>
genetic disease that is the most common inherited form of
blindness,<br>
while AMD is the most common cause of acquired blindness in the<br>
developed world.<br>
<br>
In both diseases, light sensitive cells in the retina called
rods and<br>
cones die and leave the eye without functioning photoreceptors.<br>
<br>
The mice used in this study had genetic mutations that made
their rods<br>
and cones die within months of birth. Injections of the chemical
AAQ<br>
into the eyes of the blind mice temporarily restored their light<br>
sensitivity, according to the study published in the July 26
issue of<br>
the journal Neuron.<br>
<br>
AAQ makes the remaining, normally "blind" cells in the retina<br>
sensitive to light, lead researcher Richard Kramer, a professor
of<br>
molecular and cell biology at the University of California,
Berkeley,<br>
explained in a university news release.<br>
<br>
This approach "offers real hope to patients with retinal<br>
degeneration," study co-author Dr. Russell Van Gelder, chair of
the<br>
ophthalmology department at the University of Washington in
Seattle,<br>
said in the news release.<br>
<br>
"We still need to show that these compounds are safe and will
work in<br>
people the way they work in mice, but these results demonstrate
that<br>
this class of compound restores light sensitivity to retinas
blind<br>
from genetic disease," he added.<br>
<br>
The researchers noted that the chemical eventually wears off,
which<br>
may make it a safer alternative to other experimental methods
for<br>
restoring sight, such as gene or stem cell therapies, which<br>
permanently change the retina. Chemical treatment is also less<br>
invasive than implanting light-sensitive chips in the eye, the<br>
researchers said.<br>
<br>
"The advantage of this approach is that it is a simple chemical,
which<br>
means that you can change the dosage, you can use it in
combination<br>
with other therapies, or you can discontinue the therapy if you
don't<br>
like the results. As improved chemicals become available, you
could<br>
offer them to patients. You can't do that when you surgically
implant<br>
a chip or after you genetically modify somebody," Kramer
explained.<br>
<br>
However, experts note that while studies involving animals can
be<br>
useful, they frequently fail to produce similar results in
humans.<br>
<br>
The research was supported by the U.S. National Institutes of
Health's<br>
National Eye Institute and Research to Prevent Blindness.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Read more: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.philly.com/philly/health/HealthDay667041_20120725_Experimental_Chemical_Helps_Blind_Mice_See.html?cmpid=138896494#ixzz23YO1pitj"
target="_blank">http://www.philly.com/philly/health/HealthDay667041_20120725_Experimental_Chemical_Helps_Blind_Mice_See.html?cmpid=138896494#ixzz23YO1pitj</a><br>
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<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
--<br>
Andrew Cohen<br>
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