It turns out that moderate exercise has the effect of delaying the progression of eye diseases

ByJeanette Goodrich

The aging phenomenon by age is to happen to anyone even if there is a difference in degree. It is the eternal theme of mankind that we want to be healthy for as long as possible,The world's largest genetic research for realizing the ultimate longevity of "retarding aging"It has been started. However, it is clear that even if you do not cast such extensive facilities and expense, you may be able to prevent some aging phenomena due to aging by performing moderate exercise.

Aerobic Exercise Protects Retinal Function and Structure from Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration
http://www.jneurosci.org/content/34/7/2406.short

Exercising for Healthier Eyes - NYTimes.com
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/exercising-for-eye-health/

The macula lining the retina of the eye undergoes degeneration with ageAge-related macular degenerationIs a disease that causes blindness as symptoms progress. In America, it is the number one cause of blindness in elderly people, and there is also data that men's incidence rate is three times that of women.

It is a terrible disease that will lose sight, but interestingly it was told that moderate exercise has effect to prevent this disease for a long time.Research conducted in 2009About about 40,000 citizen runners were investigated, it was reported that the prevalence rate of this disease was low in the group with moderate exercise.

ByDave Schmidt

To support this phenomenon, the research team at the Atlanta VA Medical Center conducted an experiment using a mouse and investigated how the presence or absence of exercise affects the occurrence of age-related macular degeneration and as a result it was remarkable It turned out that there was a tendency.

◆ Comparison of damage of optic nerve cells given intense light
For experiments, healthy adult mice are prepared, and mice divided into two groups are given different conditions. Prior to the experiment, the research team will make one group run on the treadmill for about one hour per day for two weeks and let the other run without any exercise.

ByDaniel_isBORED

Next, take half of the mice out of each group and then expose them to a very bright light source for 4 hours to damage the retina. This does not completely reproduce the change due to actual aging, but it is a method widely used as a way to damage the retinal cells in a pseudo manner. The remaining groups are left in the cage with the lights dark.

After that, the research team conducted the same behavior as the first on both groups for 2 weeks, and then measured the number of nerve cells (photoreceptor cells) contained in the eyeball to judge the strength of the damage received Did. Then, it turned out that the group of mice who took a strong light without exercising was most strongly damaged. Mice in this group lost about 75% of photoreceptor cells and were almost invisible.

ByLeandro agrò

On the other hand, it was found that a group of mice exposed to light after exercise retained approximately twice as many photoreceptor cells as mice who did not exercise. In addition, it is known that cells surviving intense light are more responsive to light than usual, and it has been shown that exercise is effective in protecting and strengthening the retina.

◆ Function of brain-derived neurotrophic factor
Next, the research group is a type of protein that is deeply involved in neuronal survival and growthBrain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), And verify the change by experiment. After carrying out the same experiment on a different mouse from the previous one, we investigated the numerical values ​​of BDNF contained in the eyeball and blood, and it became clear that the mouse who was exercising jumped out and its numerical value was high It was. Furthermore, when a similar experiment was carried out with a mouse which provided ingredients to inhibit the function of BDNF, it was found that even the exercised mouse was damaged by photoreceptor cells and secreted by exercise It has been demonstrated that BDNF plays an important role in the protection and growth of optic nerve cells.

◆ For human application and disease prevention
In this experiment, the effect of exercise on the protection of optic nerve cells was clarified, but unfortunately this is only a phenomenon in laboratory mice. The research team also said that judging the effect of exercise in the human body is "impossible from the data obtained at the present time" and considering measures to apply similar data by applying this data to human beings in the future Are superimposed.

As a member of this research team,Emory UniversityI am working for Ophthalmology Hospital · Emory Eye CenterDr. Geoffrey H. BoatlightI admit that some teams are considering methods of injecting ingredients or drugs that block the work of BDNF from the outside, and representative ones that can do such things to the retina It is basically an opposite position because it is complicated, dangerous and expensive, so we should take the opposite position, "We should try to prevent diseases by incorporating" daily exercise "which is safer, more fun and less money into our lives" I am talking.

ByNigeyb