One of the essential signs of dementia is forgetting, but the symptoms can occur more than a decade before a clear diagnosis. It is about decreased vision, warns the researchers.
Loss of vision can be a symptom of photo dementia: Shuterstock
The researchers discovered an unexpected connection between dementia and one of the five senses. According to the study published in Scientific Reports, combining vision tests with cognitive tests is more effective in predicting the risk of a person of future dementia.
From 2004 to 2011, the study authors watched the vision changes of 8,623 healthy people between the ages of 48 and 92 living in England.
The research began with each one of a visual sensitivity test, during which they pressed a button when a triangle appeared in a field of moving points. Subsequently, the researchers regularly performed checks that test their eyesight, cognition and general physical health. Of the 8,623 people, 537 were later diagnosed with dementia, writes parades.
The results of the visual sensitivity tests of these people showed an interesting model: in views, these people took more time to see the triangle on the screen compared to people who have never developed dementia.
The tests showed a slowing of the visual processing speed 12 years before the occurrence of the typical symptoms of dementia. These people took more time to observe objects. In addition, people who subsequently developed dementia have constantly presented lower cognitive scores than those who did not present dementia.
The connection between vision and dementia
Low visual sensitivity is not the only change observed in people with dementia. People in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease often have problems related to eye movement. These people were more likely to ignore the objects that distract them, which can be detected by eye -tracking tests.
According to the quoted publication, an explanation of the connection between vision and dementia is that “The amyloid plates, the toxic agglomerations that accumulate and disrupt the functioning of the cells and which are a feature of Alzheimer’s disease, initially affects the brain areas involved. “
The connection between loss of vision and dementia is more and more powerful. In 2024, it was officially listed as one of the 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia.
