AgingResearch.NewsJoin free
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

Dry macular degeneration linked to Alzheimer's risk

A genetic analysis linked dry macular degeneration to higher Alzheimer's odds, reporting an odds ratio of 1.14; macular degeneration overall showed no link.

Paper by Linyi Yang, Jingyan Zeng, Yanxiu Ding, Linlin Li · Suining Central Hospital
Retinal tissue has sparse, broken central cells over raised deposits beside intact rows, with a smaller brain section showing plaques above it.
Mendelian randomization in participants in genome-wide association studiesPopulations

Limit: The analyses did not measure whether treating dry macular degeneration changes Alzheimer's risk

Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News

Paper
Follow

Researchers analyzed human genetic data in a Mendelian randomization study of age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease affecting central vision, and Alzheimer's disease. This method uses inherited genetic differences to examine links between conditions. The dry form of the eye disease was associated with higher odds of Alzheimer's disease. The analysis found no association for macular degeneration overall and no evidence of a link in the reverse direction.

Separately, an analysis of Global Burden of Disease 2021 data found that both conditions became more common from 1990 to 2021. An analysis of biological databases identified 241 genes shared by dry macular degeneration and Alzheimer's disease.

Why it matters

These age-related eye and brain diseases raise questions about shared biological processes. The authors suggested that shared pathways may inform risk assessment and treatment development.

Caveats

The findings came from genetic and other observational analyses, not a treatment trial. They do not show whether treating the eye disease would change Alzheimer's risk.

Where the evidence stands

Complement system

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

Includes the processes named after it and trials of drugs aimed at it.

  • 45 independent labs in 16 countries
  • Funders: National Institutes of Health and others
  • 6 of 52 findings with company ties

Lipid and ceramide metabolism

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

Includes the processes named after it and trials of drugs aimed at it.

  • 222 independent labs in 36 countries
  • 16 findings against
  • Funders: National Institutes of Health and others
  • 35 of 322 findings with company ties

Comments

Be the first to comment.

More on Lipid and ceramide metabolism