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MONDAY, July 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Older adults’ worsening vision may drive declines in cognitive function, according to a study published online July 10 in JAMA Ophthalmology<\/i>.<\/p>\n
D. Diane Zheng, from the University of Miami, and colleagues evaluated the longitudinal associations between visual impairment and cognitive function over time in 2,520 community-residing older adults (aged 65 to 84 years). More than half of participation loss over the four-year follow-up was due to death.<\/p>\n
The researchers observed significant mean biannual declines in visual acuity (VA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores (both P < 0.001). Worse baseline VA was associated with worse baseline MMSE score (P < 0.001), while the rate of worsening VA was associated with the rate of declining MMSE score (P = 0.03). The standardized effect size of VA on MMSE score was larger than the reverse effect, demonstrating that VA is likely the driving force in these dynamic associations.<\/p>\n
“Worsening vision in older adults may be adversely associated with future cognitive functioning,” the authors write. “Maintaining good vision may be an important interventional strategy for mitigating age-related cognitive declines.”<\/p>\n
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