Visual Impairment as a Potential Risk Factor For Dementia

 
   Lead Investigator:    Hillary Rouse
   Institution      :    University of South Florida
   E-Mail           :    hrouse@usf.edu
   Proposal ID      :    1655



   Proposal Description:
   Aim 1: Does visual impairment increase the risk for Alzheimer?s disease or other related dementias (ADRD) in older adults who are cognitively healthy on older adults diagnosed with MCI?    Hypothesis 1: Visual impairment will increase the risk of ADRD in both cognitively healthy adults and older adults with MCI.    Aim 2: Does the use of corrective lenses moderate the risk of ADRD? Is the moderating effect dependent on the lenses resulting in functionally normal vision again?    Hypothesis 1. The use of corrective lenses will moderate the risk for ADRD, but the moderating effect will be dependent on if the corrective lenses result in functionally normal vision again.      Secondary Aim: Is there a relationship between visual impairment that is and isn?t corrected with lenses and neurodegeneration in specific regions of the brain in older adults who are at risk for ADRD?      Hypothesis 1. Older adults who are at risk for ADRD with uncorrected visual impairment will see more degeneration in the entorhinal cortex and occipital lobe.                                                                              Hypothesis 2. Older adults who are at risk for ADRD with corrected visual impairment will see equivalent levels of degeneration in the hippocampus temporal lobe, frontal lobe, and parietal lobe when compared to older adults at risk for ADRD without visual impairment.                       Collaborators:  Andrew Rouse, SUNY Optometry  Adviser: Dr. Brent Small, USF