Preliminary Review Aims to Examine the Molecular Benefits of Physical Exercise on Retinal Health

Article: “Exercise in a pill” could offer solution for at-risk people
Source: Australian National University (Australia)
Published: December 1, 2021 

The health benefits of exercise are myriad and well-recognized. However, the benefits of exercise at a molecular level have not been studied in detail, especially in the context of the central nervous system and its extension to the retina, in turn representing the connection between exercise and eye health. Researchers in Australia are investigating the molecular signals sent from the skeletal muscles of the body to the brain, and the eyes, immediately after we exercise. They hope that understanding these molecular messages could help inform the creation of supplements, similar to vitamins, for patients who are incapable of physical activity, whether due to injury or age-related decline in physical movement. The authors report a preliminary review encompassing topics such as "oxidative stress and mitochondrial health; inflammation; protein aggregation; neuronal health; and tissue crosstalk via extracellular vesicles," with an emphasis on "decipher the molecular benefits of exercise in retinal health and disease." Although "prescribing" exercise has been beneficial in neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, the researchers emphasize that the effects have been understudied as they apply to retinal health and disease, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Importantly, they note that should such a futuristic therapy one day be developed, it would not be intended for the general public, but rather for patients who have restricted movement rendering them unable to exercise. First author of the paper remarks, "We can't possibly package all the effects of exercise into a single pill, there are too many benefits that stretch throughout the entire body beyond what we could 'prescribe' and that's not the goal."

My rating of this study: ⭐

Chu-Tan J, Kirkby M and Natoli R. "Running to save sight: The effects of exercise on retinal health and function." Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.  2 November 2021. https://doi.org/10.1111/cco.14023