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Science Friday > Archives > 2003 > August
> August 29, 2003:
Hour One: Red Wine and Lifespan / Vision, Blindness, and Seeing
This week, scientists released a case study of a man who regained
his sight after forty years of blindness. The man, blinded at the
age of three by a chemical explosion, underwent a successful operation
to regain his sight -- but now is having to re-learn the finer points
of how to process visual information. Though the patient can now see
well enough to catch a ball, for instance, he has trouble recognizing
his wife's face. In this hour of Science Friday, we'll look at how
long-term blindness affects the visual system, and what scientists
are learning from patients who have regained their sight.
Plus, a molecule in red wine has been found to extend lifespan --
at least, in yeast. The compound, called resveratrol, appears to mimic
the effects of the restricted-calorie diets that have been found to
extend lifespan in some laboratory organisms. We'll talk about the
work, and whether the findings might apply to humans as well. Call
in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern),
and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).
Guests:
David Sinclair
Assistant Professor of Pathology
Harvard Medical School
Boston, Massachusetts
Dr. Ione Fine
Assistant Professor, Opthamalogy
Doheny Eye Institute
Keck School of Medicine
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
Michael D. Oberdorfer
Program Director
Programs in Visual Neuroscience and Low Vision & Blindness Rehabilitation
National Eye Institute
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD
Books/Articles Discussed:
Related Links:
Red
wine ingredient makes yeast live longer: Baker's bug hints at health
benefit of plant compounds.
Selling
Red Wine as Good (and Good for You)
Red
wine chemical extends life - in yeast
Washington
Post: Scientists Gain Insight From Man's Vision
Baltimore
Sun: Blind man's restored vision offers new insights
Scientific
American: Learning to See Requires More Than Just Eyesight
This segment produced by Karin
Vergoth
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