One important aspect of the mTOR pathway is its ability to coordinate protein synthesis.264 One study mimicked inhibition of the mTOR pathway by administering anisomycin, which curbs eukaryotic protein synthesis, to rd16 and wild-type C57BL/6J mice.265 The rd16 mice had accelerated retinal degeneration, whereas wild-type mice developed retinal pathologies after anisomycin treatment.265 Restoring mitochondrial function, rather than targeting the mTOR pathway, may be a safer avenue for an AMD therapy, as it is less likely to damage other nearby ocular tissues. This evidence concerns the gene MTOR and retinal degeneration.