Macular Degeneration Caused by More Than Genes

Ivanhoe Newswire
Wednesday, January 10, 2007; 12:27 AM

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Its not just your genes; your lifestyle also has an impact on how likely it is you will develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD). A new study reveals two genes combined with obesity and/or smoking can greatly increase your risk for the blinding condition

Previous research suggests AMD is associated with a mutation in two genes, which is common in the white population. Researchers from Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston looked at other factors like obesity, smoking, regular aspirin use, fruit intake, fatty acid ratios, and alcohol consumption.

Investigators compared 457 men and women with AMD to more than 1,000 participants without AMD. Blood samples were collected for genetic analysis.

Researchers report those with the two mutant genes and were not obese were four-times as likely as other non-obese individuals without the mutant genes to develop AMD. If the individual was obese and carried the genes, they were 12-times more likely to develop AMD than non-obese non-carriers. Smoking also increased the risk by eight times compared to non-smoking non-carriers.

These genetic mutations are common, so screening everyone for them is impractical. However, study authors write the interaction with lifestyle factors may provide a way to screen individuals who are at potentially greater risk for AMD.

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SOURCE: Archive of Ophthalmology, 2007;125:55-62