Hyperactive immune resistance has been associated with senile blindness caused by age-dependent macular degeneration (AMD).
A team of Anglo-German opthalmologists have demonstrated for the first time that the immune system of patients with AMD is entirely hyperactive.
Lead researcher Dr Hendrik Scholl commented: "These results infer that senile blindness may arise from a permanent state of inflammation in the body. This can obviously lie dormant for decades, then in advanced old age can lead to the appearance of symptoms of the disease."
The study was conducted by scientists from Bonn, Gottingen, Regensburg and Oxford under the leadership of Dr Hendrik Scholl of Bonn University’s Eye Clinic.
Previous studies have shown that hereditary changes in the regulation of the immune system influence the risk of contracting AMD.
In Germany, an estimated 4.5 million people suffer from AMD and it is the most common cause of blindness in the western industrialized nations.
