BOSTON -- Lack of sleep could contribute to the risk of developing high blood pressure.

A new study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine found the risk for blood pressure increases for adults who routinely get fewer than seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

Researchers said people who missed an hour of sleep raised their risk by 37 percent over five years. And for two hours less, the risk rose 86 percent over five years.

Fatty Fish Benefit

Eating omega-3-rich fatty fish, such as salmon, could fight off eye disease.

Researchers from Tufts University discovered that eating two to three servings of omega-3 fatty fish per week could help slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration. One and a half million Americans over 50 have AMD.

The study also found combining fatty fish with a low-carbohydrate diet cut the risk of developing the disease.

The findings are published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Autism Research

A groundbreaking study launched Tuesday to investigate the causes of autism.

Experts will follow up to 1,200 pregnant women who already have one child with autism. They will document the child's development through age 3.

The goal is to determine what biological and environmental factors might contribute to the mysterious condition. Some of the wide range of exposures being examined will be blood and urine samples, post-partum breast milk, dust from the home and chemicals used in the home.

Eligible families must live in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Northeastern Maryland or Northern California.