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Vision in aging and dementia
Purpose:
This study was designed to determine the extent of visual deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients relative to normal aging changes and to patients with other types of dementia.
Methods:
Four groups of subjects were tested: patients with probable AD (N = 10), patients with other dementias (N = 10), age-matched controls (N = 11), and young controls (N = 10). Color vision was assessed with the L'Anthony D-15 desaturated color test, contrast sensitivity with the Pelli-Robson chart, and stereoacuity with the RAN-DOT test.
Results:
Visual changes were found in AD patients that can be accounted for by age-related deficits (color vision), deficits found in other types of dementia (stereoacuity), and deficits specific to AD (low spatial frequency contrast sensitivity).
Conclusion:
We conclude that AD patients show a variety of visual deficits. With our tests, only deficits in contrast sensitivity were specific to AD.