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Washington - Macular Degeneration (Age-related Macular Degeneration / AMD) has threatened 11 million people in the United States. Although chronic medical conditions is a major cause of blindness in the elderly population, do not worry because a major breakthrough showing Parkinson drug may delay or prevent degeneration.
AMD is a medical condition that causes loss of central vision due to damage to the macula, or central part of the retina. The study, published in the American Journal of Medicine, reported a breakthrough progress in the fight against AMD.
If AMD does not cause blindness, however, this condition can greatly affect a person's quality of life, especially in terms of their ability to read,
drive and recognize people. Research supported by the Foundation BrightFocus shows the biological relationship between dark pigmented eyes (known resistant AMD) with L-DOPA levels are high, a chemical that is often given as a doctor's prescription for Parkinson's patients.
They are looking for whether the patients who received the drug L-DOPA as a treatment for Parkinson's or other diseases can be avoided from AMD. After analyzing the medical chart data, the results are surprising. Patients who received L-DOPA actually significantly less likely to suffer from AMD. Suppose experiencing macular degeneration, the arrival slower than those not taking L-DOPA.
"Instead of looking at the causes of AMD, we even wondered why certain people are protected from AMD. This approach has never been done before," said senior author Brian McKay, of the University of Arizona, in a press release.
Quoted from Medical Daily, this study departs from 37,000 patients at the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin. The average age of those given L-DOPA is 67, and the average age is diagnosed with AMD was 71 years old.
"This exciting breakthrough demonstrates the strength of scientific discovery to provide hope to millions of people across the nation and the world," said President and CEO BrightFocus, Stacy Pagos Haller.
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