The scientists claim that discovery of 'Type 4 Diabetes' will help understand the disorder and diagnosis of Glaucoma.
Researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have discovered and described a new type of diabetes -'Type 4 Diabetes', which specifically affects the ocular (eye) and brain tissues. The study, published in an international journal, talks about the "understanding of Glaucoma", which is an eye disorder. The scientists claim that discovery of 'Type 4 Diabetes' will help understand the disorder and diagnosis of Glaucoma.
Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2 are the most common types of diabetes and are accompanied by high levels of glucose in the blood, but according to these scientists, Diabetes Type 3 (Alzheimer's disease) and Diabetes Type 4 (Glaucoma) is restricted to brain and ocular tissues specifically and are not associated with high levels of blood glucose.
"There are striking similarities in genetic, biochemical, and molecular aspects which prove that Glaucoma is a form of brain-specific diabetes. There might be one billion people suffering from it across the world by 2030. It is sometimes even uncontrolled by medicines and requires multiple surgeries and lifelong therapies," said Dr Muneeb Faiq, Lead Scientist, AIIMS.
With over 11.2 million persons aged 40 years and older suffering from Glaucoma in India, researchers say that despite it being the second largest cause of blindness, it is more problematic than cataract, which is the first cause because blindness caused by Glaucoma is irreversible.
Over 70 per cent of the Indian population is at a risk of developing Glaucoma, of which two lakh will lose vision on an average.
Due to it being considered one of the most complex human diseases, most of those suffering from Glaucoma go undetected and there exist major challenges in detecting and treating those with the disease.
According to the World Health Organisation, it is the second largest cause of blindness in the world and fourth largest in India. The average age of the prevalence of Glaucoma is over 50 years, but with sedentary lifestyle and westernisation, the average age is getting shorter. It has recently been observed that of the total cases diagnosed with the condition, over 70% of them are under the age of 35 years.
"There is no cure for Glaucoma and this research will help in developing one. With this understanding, an effective treatment can be provided immediately. For instance, Insulin therapy (restoration of insulin signaling) is a promising intervention in Glaucoma as well as Alzheimer's disease and possibly Parkinson's (which is Type 5 diabetes) disease," said Faiq.
The team has now sent initial experimental evidence in support of their hypothesis to the journal for a review.
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