CHOROIDAL CIRCULATION & AGE RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

描述(申请人描述)：老年性黄斑变性(AMD) 是导致美国65岁以上人群失明的主要原因 各州。大约10%的美国人会患上AMD，1%的人会患上AMD 可能患有更晚期的渗出性疾病，这种疾病会导致 严重的视力障碍。参与发展的基本机制 这种疾病目前还不清楚。最常见的表现之一是 然而，这种疾病的主要原因是物质的沉积 充分去除视网膜色素上皮--Bruch膜 界面。我们实验室最近的几份报告和一些初步数据 提示AMD的脉络膜循环异常。这些报告 是非常有趣的，因为这个循环提供了所有的代谢物和 清除外层视网膜中的所有废物。一种异常脉络膜 循环可能在导致堆积的过程中发挥作用 这些不正常的物质。此外，脉络膜血管供应减少 也可能导致视网膜外部的缺血和缺氧，这可能是 与脉络膜新生血管的发展相关的致盲 AMD的并发症。 这项应用的主要目的是使用最先进的非侵入性 激光多普勒血流检测技术检测脉络膜血流 AMD血流及其调节异常，是否有更多的异常 脉络膜循环与发展脉络膜的高风险相关 新生血管和AMD的更晚期和致盲期。更好的 了解与AMD发展相关的机制可以， 从长远来看，帮助我们为这种毁灭性的疾病设计新的治疗策略 疾病。此外，通过这次调查获得的知识可能 也有助于识别有发展脉络膜风险的患者 新生血管，从而使早期治疗成为可能。

DESCRIPTION (Applicant's Description): Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 65 in the United States. About 10 percent of the U.S. population will develop AMD and 1 percent may suffer from the more advanced, exudative form of the disease that leads to severe visual impairment. The basic mechanism involved in the development of this disease is not clearly understood. One of the most common manifestations of this disease, however, is the deposition of materials that are not adequately removed from the retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's Membrane interface. Several recent reports and some preliminary data from our laboratory have suggested abnormalities of the choroidal circulation in AMD. These reports are of great interest because this circulation supplies all metabolites and removes all waste products from the outer retina. An abnormal choroidal circulation could have a role in the process that leads to the accumulation of these abnormal substances. In addition, a decreased choroidal vascular supply could also lead to ischemia and hypoxia of the outer retina and this could be associated with the development of choroidal neovascularization, a blinding complication of AMD. The main aim of this application is to use the state-of-the-art non-invasive technique of laser Doppler flowmetry to investigate whether choroidal blood flow and its regulation are abnormal in AMD, and whether a more abnormal choroidal circulation is associated with a higher risk of developing choroidal neovascularization and the more advanced and blinding stages of AMD. A better understanding of the mechanisms associated with the development of AMD could, in the long run, help us devise new treatment strategies for this devastating disease. In addition, the knowledge gained through this investigation could also help in the identification of patients at risk of developing choroidal neovascularization, thus enabling earlier treatment.