The Impact of Acuity on Performance of Four Clinical Measures of Contrast Sensitivity in Alzheimer's Disease

Neargarder, Sandy; Stone, Erika R.; Cronin‐Golomb, Alice; Oross, Stephen

doi:10.1093/geronb/58.1.p54

Cited by 53 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Loss of CS begins at 50 years of age, especially at high spatial frequencies (SF), where the loss might be as high as 30% relative to younger adults (e.g., Neargarder, Stone, Cronin-Golomb, & Oross, 2003;Owsley, Sekuler, & Boldt, 1981). Recent meta-analyses indicate that both VA and CS are linked to impaired cognition in aging, even in the absence of known disease (La Fleur & Salthouse, 2014;Monge & Madden, 2016).…”

Section: Perceptual Degradation (Hypothesis 1)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Age Differences in Face Processing: The Role of Perceptual Degradation and Holistic Processing

Boutet

Meinhardt‐Injac

2018

The Journals of Gerontology: Series B

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Objectives: We simultaneously investigated the role of three hypotheses regarding age-related differences in face processing: perceptual degradation, impaired holistic processing, and an interaction between the two. Methods: Young adults (YA) aged 20-33-year olds, middle-age adults (MA) aged 50-64-year olds, and older adults (OA) aged 65-82-year olds were tested on the context congruency paradigm, which allows measurement of face-specific holistic processing across the life span (Meinhardt-Injac, Persike & Meinhardt, 2014. Acta Psychologica, 151, 155-163). Perceptual degradation was examined by measuring performance with faces that were not filtered (FSF), with faces filtered to preserve low spatial frequencies (LSF), and with faces filtered to preserve high spatial frequencies (HSF). Results: We found that reducing perceptual signal strength had a greater impact on MA and OA for HSF faces, but not LSF faces. Context congruency effects were significant and of comparable magnitude across ages for FSF, LSF, and HSF faces. By using watches as control objects, we show that these holistic effects reflect face-specific mechanisms in all age groups. Discussion: Our results support the perceptual degradation hypothesis for faces containing only HSF and suggest that holistic processing is preserved in aging even under conditions of reduced signal strength.

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Section: Perceptual Degradation (Hypothesis 1)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Age Differences in Face Processing: The Role of Perceptual Degradation and Holistic Processing

Boutet

Meinhardt‐Injac

2018

The Journals of Gerontology: Series B

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“…Hence, the effectiveness of some of these methods in testing participants especially those with severe dementia should be taken into account. Fourth, participants may have been visually assessed without having had an eye examination, and thus, without knowing if the optimal Controversial but likely to be affected in AD, DLB and PDD [47][48][49][50][51][52][53] Stereoacuity Impaired in AD and VD 41,[54][55][56] Contrast sensitivity Impaired in AD and VD [59][60][61][62] Motion detection…”

Section: Visual Dysfunction In Dementiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…41 Such differences have been attributed to variations in the population under study, the method used to measure CS, or the failure to account for VA differences. 61 Additionally, not all studies checked for adequate ocular refraction, test distance or ocular health of participants. Spatial CS performance across a range of frequencies has been shown to be similar in AD, VD and mixed AD/VD cases.…”

Section: Contrast Sensitivity Functionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oculo‐visual changes and clinical considerations affecting older patients with dementia

Armstrong

Kergoat

2015

Ophthalmic Physiologic Optic

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Purpose Dementia is associated with various alterations of the eye and visual function. Over 60% of cases are attributable to Alzheimer's disease, a significant proportion of the remainder to vascular dementia or dementia with Lewy bodies, while frontotemporal dementia, and Parkinson's disease dementia are less common. This review describes the oculo‐visual problems of these five dementias and the pathological changes which may explain these symptoms. It further discusses clinical considerations to help the clinician care for older patients affected by dementia. Recent findings Visual problems in dementia include loss of visual acuity, defects in colour vision and visual masking tests, changes in pupillary response to mydriatics, defects in fixation and smooth and saccadic eye movements, changes in contrast sensitivity function and visual evoked potentials, and disturbance of complex visual functions such as in reading ability, visuospatial function, and the naming and identification of objects. Pathological changes have also been reported affecting the crystalline lens, retina, optic nerve, and visual cortex. Clinically, issues such as cataract surgery, correcting the refractive error, quality of life, falls, visual impairment and eye care for dementia have been addressed. Summary Many visual changes occur across dementias, are controversial, often based on limited patient numbers, and no single feature can be regarded as diagnostic of any specific dementia. Nevertheless, visual hallucinations may be more characteristic of dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia than Alzheimer's disease or frontotemporal dementia. Differences in saccadic eye movement dysfunction may also help to distinguish Alzheimer's disease from frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson's disease dementia from dementia with Lewy bodies. Eye care professionals need to keep informed of the growing literature in vision/dementia, be attentive to signs and symptoms suggestive of cognitive impairment, and be able to adapt their practice and clinical interventions to best serve patients with dementia.

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“…49 Differences in reported performance may be attributable to variation in patient population or assessment methods and especially failure to account for VA differences between groups. 50 Hence, it is likely that there are contrast sensitivity changes in AD, but it is not possible to be specific about the frequencies affected.…”

Section: Contrast Sensitivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Alzheimer's Disease and the Eye☆

Armstrong

2009

Journal of Optometry

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Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), is a major disorder causing visual problems in the elderly population. The pathology of AD includes the deposition in the brain of abnormal aggregates of β-amyloid (Aβ) in the form of senile plaques (SP) and abnormally phosphorylated tau in the form of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). A variety of visual problems have been reported in patients with AD including loss of visual acuity (VA), colour vision and visual fields; changes in pupillary response to mydriatics, defects in fixation and in smooth and saccadic eye movements; changes in contrast sensitivity and in visual evoked potentials (VEP); and disturbances of complex visual functions such as reading, visuospatial function, and in the naming and identification of objects. Many of these changes are controversial with conflicting data in the literature and no ocular or visual feature can be regarded as particularly diagnostic of AD. In addition, some pathological changes have been observed to affect the eye, visual pathway, and visual cortex in AD. The optometrist has a role in helping a patient with AD, if it is believed that signs and symptoms of the disease are present, so as to optimize visual function and improve the quality of life. RESUMENLas distintas formas de demencia, entre las que se incluye la enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA), son graves trastornos que causan problemas visuales en las personas de edad avanzada. La patología de la EA incluye la acumulación en el cerebro del péptido β-amiloide (Aβ en forma de placas seniles (PS) y de proteína tau anormalmente fosforilada en forma de ovillos neurofibrilares (ONF). Se ha documentado un amplio espectro de problemas visuales en pacientes con EA, entre los que se incluye la pérdida de agudeza visual (AV), problemas relacionados con la visión de color y el campo visual, cambios en la respuesta pupilar ante midriáticos, problemas de fijación así como movimientos oculares sacádicos y de seguimiento anormales; cambios en la sensibilidad al contraste y en los potenciales evocados visuales (PEV); y alteraciones de algunas funciones visuales complejas, tales como la lectura, la función visuoespacial, y a la hora de nombrar y de identificar objetos. Muchos de estos cambios no están exentos de cierta controversia, puesto que en la literatura aparecen datos contradictorios al respecto y, además, no hay ninguna característica visual u ocular en la que se pueda basar el diagnóstico de la EA. Además, se ha observado que algunos de los cambios patológicos que aparecen en la EA afectan al ojo, a la vía óptica y al córtex visual. El optometrista juega un papel destacado a la hora de ayudar a los pacientes que padecen EA. Si se sospecha que existen signos y síntomas de la enfermedad, la ayuda en la optimización de la función visual contribuirá para mejorar su calidad de vida. INTRODUCTIONA significant part of current optometric practice is directed to the visual problems of the elderly and this trend is likely to continue, given the demographic increase in the geriatric ...

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The Impact of Acuity on Performance of Four Clinical Measures of Contrast Sensitivity in Alzheimer's Disease

Cited by 53 publications

References 21 publications

Age Differences in Face Processing: The Role of Perceptual Degradation and Holistic Processing

Age Differences in Face Processing: The Role of Perceptual Degradation and Holistic Processing

Oculo‐visual changes and clinical considerations affecting older patients with dementia

Alzheimer's Disease and the Eye☆

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