Researchers find link between eye disease and degeneration of the brain

A global research team led by scientists from Singapore and the United States has discovered new evidence that there is an underlying link between degeneration of the eye and brain. They found that genetic variation at a beta-amyloid gene was significantly associated with increased risk of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), the most common form of glaucoma and the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. The association was identified specifically in people with African ancestry. The high-risk variant was common in African populations (around 20%), but essentially absent in all other ancestral groups.

The findings from this research confirmed a common suspicion that glaucoma may not simply be an eye disease, but also linked to degeneration of the brain. Two lines of evidence were established—First, genetic variation at a beta-amyloid gene family was observed to be significantly associated with POAG risk. Second, beta-amyloid deposits were also significantly increased in eye and brain tissues of patients with POAG compared to unaffected individuals. This links degeneration of the eye to possible degeneration of the brain as beta-amyloid is one of the best-known causes for nerve cell death in Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

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