Poorer Visual Acuity Is Associated with Declines in Cognitive Performance Across Multiple Cognitive Domains: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study

Dearborn, Peter J; Elias, Merrill F.; Sullivan, Kevin; Sullivan, Cara; Robbins, Michael A.

doi:10.1017/s1355617718000358

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…The longitudinal analyses indicated greater decline in the low baseline VA group on vision-dependent neuropsychological tests as well as vision-independent tests in episodic memory, language, and executive functions. This is also consistent with previous longitudinal studies (Anstey et al, 2001;Dearborn et al, 2018;Hong et al, 2016;Lin et al, 2004;Valentijn et al, 2005;Zheng et al, 2018). In the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (Dearborn et al, 2018), which used a multi-domain neuropsychological test battery, VA predicted 5-year change in verbal episodic memory and verbal working memory, as well as in visuospatial organization.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…However, longitudinal studies are needed to investigate the direction of the association and determine whether visual impairment as a risk factor for subsequent cognitive decline over time. While some longitudinal studies have reported supportive evidence thereof (Dearborn et al, 2018;Valentijn et al, 2005), others reported no associations (Hong et al, 2016). However, most studies were limited by relatively brief follow up periods (≤2 years) (Anstey et al, 2001;Lin et al, 2004) or limited cognitive outcome measures, e.g., composed of a single cognitive screening test (Hong et al, 2016;Lin et al, 2004;Zheng et al, 2018).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Associations between Visual Acuity and Cognitive Decline in Older Adulthood: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study

Runk

Jia

Liu

et al. 2021

J Int Neuropsychol Soc

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Objective: Emerging evidence suggests low vision may be a modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline. We examined effects of baseline visual acuity (VA) on level of, and change in, cognitive test performance over 9 years. Method: A population-based sample of 1,621 participants (average age 77 years) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation and VA testing at baseline and reassessed at nine subsequent annual visits. Linear regression modeled the association between baseline VA and concurrent cognitive test performance. Joint modeling of a longitudinal sub-model and a survival sub-model to adjust for attrition were used to examine associations between baseline VA and repeated cognitive test performance over time. Results: Better baseline VA was associated cross-sectionally with younger age, male sex, greater than high school education, and higher baseline neuropsychological test scores on both vision-dependent (B coefficient range −0.163 to −0.375, p = .006 to <.001) and vision-independent tests (−0.187 to −0.215, p = .003 to .002). In longitudinal modeling, better baseline VA was associated with slower decline in vision-dependent tests (B coefficient range −0.092 to 0.111, p = .005 to <.001) and vision-independent tests (−0.107 to 0.067, p = .007 to <.001). Conclusions: Higher VA is associated with higher concurrent cognitive abilities and slower rates of decline over 9 years in both vision-dependent and vision-independent tests of memory, language, and executive functioning. Findings are consistent with emerging literature supporting vision impairment in aging as a potentially modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline. Clinicians should encourage patient utilization of vision assessment and correction with the added aim of protecting cognition.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between Visual Acuity and Cognitive Decline in Older Adulthood: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study

Runk

Jia

Liu

et al. 2021

J Int Neuropsychol Soc

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“…Findings from the current study may have implications for future epidemiological and interventional research in India. Few prior studies have examined the association between vision and cognitive function across multiple domains [33, 34]. In a cohort from the U.S., Dearborn et al [34] reported that VI was associated with future declines in visuospatial, verbal episodic memory, and executive function domains but not working memory or scanning and tracking.…”

Section: Discussion/conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Few prior studies have examined the association between vision and cognitive function across multiple domains [33, 34]. In a cohort from the U.S., Dearborn et al [34] reported that VI was associated with future declines in visuospatial, verbal episodic memory, and executive function domains but not working memory or scanning and tracking. While that study reported associations over 5 years of follow-up, data were not analyzed to determine whether associations varied based on VI severity.…”

Section: Discussion/conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Association of Cognitive and Visual Function in a Nationally Representative Study of Older Adults in India

et al. 2021

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Introduction: Due to population aging, India is poised to experience a large increase in the burden of both dementia and vision impairment (VI). Prior studies from other settings suggest that VI may be a modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. However, to date, no studies have examined the association of impaired visual acuity and cognition in India. Methods: A total of 3,784 participants in wave 1 of the population-based Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia for the Longitudinal Aging Study in India underwent visual acuity testing and a cognitive test battery. Multivariable linear regression was used to model the cross-sectional associations of mild (<6/12–6/16), moderate (<6/18–6/60), and severe visual acuity impairment/blindness (<6/60) with cognitive performance scores corresponding to total cognition, orientation, memory, language/fluency, executive function, and informant-reported cognitive status. Models were adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics. Results: The weighted percentage of participants with any VI was 52.6%. VI was independently associated with lower cognitive scores across all domains, even after adjustment for known dementia risk factors. In fully adjusted models of total cognition (mean score: 130.7), mild, moderate, and severe VI/blindness were associated with a significant change of −3.5 (95% CI: −6.3, −0.6), −8.2 (95% CI −10.5, −5.6), and −16.8 (95% CI −22.3, −11.3) units, respectively. A dose-response association between level of VI and cognitive function was observed for all cognitive outcomes except for language/fluency domain scores. Associations were robust when cognitive tests dependent on visual function were excluded. Across each fully adjusted model of total, domain-specific, and informant-reported cognitive performance, moderate VI was equivalent to 5–9 years of cognitive aging. Discussion/Conclusion: This study illustrates that VI is cross-sectionally associated with lower cognitive performance, largely in a dose-response pattern, across various cognitive domains in the Indian population. These findings are important for informing future longitudinal and interventional studies.

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“…1,3,6 A recent systematic review and metanalysis 7 reported that vision impairment is associated with 2.4-fold greater odds of cognitive impairment in existing cross-sectional studies and 1.7-fold greater odds in longitudinal studies. However, the association of vision impairment with specific cognitive domains has not been fully elucidated 8 ; there is a lack of data and consensus in the literature on aging on whether the decline is global, process specific, domain specific, or specific to modality of test administration. A metanalysis 9 examining the association between vision and 4 cognitive domainsattention, executive function, memory, and language-found that vision did not mediate age differences in these functioning domains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of Vision Impairment With Cognitive Decline Across Multiple Domains in Older Adults

et al. 2021

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IMPORTANCE Associations between visual and global cognitive impairments have been previously documented, but there is limited research examining these associations between multiple measures of vision across cognitive domains. OBJECTIVE To examine the association between vision and cognitive across multiple cognitive domains using multiple measures of vision. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This longitudinal cohort study used data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging for 2003 to 2019. Participants in the current study were aged 60 to 94 years with vision and cognitive measures. Data analysis was performed from May 2020 to May 2021. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Cognitive function was measured across multiple domains, including language, memory, attention, executive function, and visuospatial ability. Cognitive domain scores were calculated as the mean of standardized cognitive test scores within each domain. Visual function was assessed using measures of visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and stereo acuity at baseline. RESULTS Analyses included 1202 participants (610 women [50.8%]; 853 White participants [71.0%]) with a mean (SD) age of 71.1 (8.6) years who were followed up for a mean (SD) of 6.9 (4.7) years. Worse visual acuity (per 0.1 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution) at baseline was

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Poorer Visual Acuity Is Associated with Declines in Cognitive Performance Across Multiple Cognitive Domains: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study

Cited by 15 publications

References 34 publications

Associations between Visual Acuity and Cognitive Decline in Older Adulthood: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study

Associations between Visual Acuity and Cognitive Decline in Older Adulthood: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study

The Association of Cognitive and Visual Function in a Nationally Representative Study of Older Adults in India

Association of Vision Impairment With Cognitive Decline Across Multiple Domains in Older Adults

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