Poorer vision in older people is often perceived as a sign of aging. However, it can also be an indicator of dementia.
Dementia is one of the neurodegenerative diseases that usually turns the lives of those affected and their relatives upside down. Forgetfulness, difficulty carrying out usual activities or speech disorders are just some of the symptoms of a diverse clinical picture. There are some warning signs of dementia that can appear years beforehand. An early warning signal for dementia can, for example, be a strong urge to move during a sleep phase. Researchers have also found that vision problems can also be an indicator.
Dementia: Difficulty seeing can be an early indicator - risk of confusion with typical signs of aging
Declining eyesight is one of the typical human signs of aging. However
, a research team led by Prof. Eef Hogervorst from Loughborough University came
to the conclusion in their study, which was published in the journal
Scientific Reports
, that problems with vision can also be an early warning sign of cognitive decline. As part of their study, the scientists analyzed data from more than 8,000 people aged 48 to 92. At the end of the study, 537 of a total of 8,623 participants had developed dementia.
The researchers came to their results using a visual test on a screen. The participants had to press a button as quickly as possible when a triangle was formed in a field of moving dots. It was shown that people who later developed dementia were able to recognize the triangle on the monitor much more slowly than those who did not develop dementia. The study results indicate that loss of visual sensitivity can predict dementia as early as twelve years before a diagnosis.
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Vision tests can predict dementia better than memory tests
Vision problems could therefore indicate dementia at an early stage. The toxic amyloid plaques typical of Alzheimer's could initially affect areas of the brain that are related to vision. According to researchers, as the disease progresses, the parts of the brain associated with memory become damaged. Such changes could therefore be detected using vision tests even before memory tests detect possible deficits that act as an indicator of dementia. But a blood test should also be able to detect the disease years in advance.
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This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.