Researchers aiming to detect early signs of cognitive decline before it progresses to dementia have discovered an unexpected link between dementia and one of the five senses. Find out what it is and how to use this new information to protect your own brain health.
The sense in question? It's vision, according to recent research. Published in Scientific Reports, the study found that combining vision tests with cognitive tests is more effective in predicting a person’s risk of future dementia.
Of the 8,623 people, 537 people were later diagnosed with dementia. The visual sensitivity test results of these folks showed an interesting pattern: In the vision tests, these folks took longer to see the triangle on the screen compared to people who never developed dementia.
Related: The Simple, At-Home Test for Early Dementia Detection
Connection Between Vision and Dementia
One explanation for the connection between vision problems and dementia is that the amyloid plaques—toxic clumps that build up and disrupt cell function and are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease—initially impact brain areas involved in vision. Supporting this theory is evidence from studies finding people at risk for Alzheimer’s disease who scored poorly on visual tests having high levels of amyloid and tau plaques.
The connection between vision loss and dementia is growing stronger. In 2024, it was officially listed as one of 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia.
It’s too soon to tell. Researchers are still gathering evidence to answer this question.
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Sources
"Visual processing speed and its association with future dementia development in a population-based prospective cohort: EPIC-Norfolk." Scientific Reports."Abnormalities of saccadic eye movements in dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment." Aging."Visual contrast sensitivity is associated with the presence of cerebral amyloid and tau deposition." Brain Communications."Face Recognition Deficits in a Patient With Alzheimer's Disease: Amnesia or Agnosia? The Importance of Electrophysiological Markers for Differential Diagnosis." Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. "Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission." The Lancet."Vision loss and the risk of dementia." Alzheimer’s Society."Vision Impairment and the Population Attributable Fraction of Dementia in Older Adults." JAMA Ophthalmology. Read More Details
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