Distinct visual motion processing impairments in aging and Alzheimer's disease
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Motion-Acuity Test for Visual Field Acuity Measurement with Motion-Defined Shapes
Published on: February 23, 2024
Voyko Kavcic1, William Vaughn, Charles J Duffy
1Departments of Neurology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Ophthalmology, and The Center for Visual Science, The University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, United States.
Abstract:
Aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are associated with declines in the visual perception of self-movement that undermine navigation and independent living. We studied 214 subjects' heading direction and speed discrimination using the radial patterns of visual motion in optic flow. Young (YA), middle-aged (MA), and older normal (ON) subjects, and AD patients viewed optic flow in which we manipulated the motion coherence, spatial texture, and temporal periodicity composition of the visual display. Aging and AD were associated with poorer heading and speed perception at lower temporal periodicity, with smaller effects of spatial texture. AD patients were particularly impaired by motion incoherence created by adding randomly moving dots to the optic flow. We conclude that visual motion processing is impaired by distinct mechanisms in aging and the transition to AD, implying distinct neural mechanisms of impairment.
Related Concept Videos
Visual Agnosia
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
Dementia l: Introduction
Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction

