Visual Acuity and effects of general factor and pigment epithelium-derived factor on eye diseases in Japanese Elderly

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24592637
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Nara Medical University
• Principal Investigator: OGATA NAHOKO 奈良県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (60204062)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KURUMATANI Norio 奈良県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (10124877) ; UEDA Tetsuo 奈良県立医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (00364068) ; NISHI Tomo 奈良県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (70571214)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 視機能 / 加齢黄斑変性 / 認知症 / 白内障 / コホート研究 / 高齢者 / 疫学調査

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We conducted ophthalmological examinations in elderly Japanese named Fujiwara-Kyo Eye study in which attended 2868 volunteers (mean age was 76.3±4.9, including 1513 men). The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.048 ± 0.26 logMAR units and 6.6% was classified as being visually impaired (>0.5 logMAR units). In addition, 21.5% of eyes had undergone cataract surgery. The mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score was 27.3±2.3 and 5.7% of the subjects was defined as being cognitively impaired.
The mean plasma concentration of PEDF (pigment epithelium-derived factor) (10.2±3.14μg/ml ) in subjects with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) was significantly higher than that of controls (8.23±1.88μg/ml, p＜0.01). These results indicated that PEDF effects on the pathogenesis of AMD.

Free Research Field

網膜、加齢黄斑変性