Vision Loss and Cognition: Testing the sensory consequence hypothesis

摘要 这是K 01研究职业发展奖的申请表。拟议项目的目标是 为候选人提供建立独立研究计划所需的高级技能， 老年人视力丧失和认知能力下降之间的关系。为了实现这一长期目标， 候选人将：（1）描述视觉功能客观测量之间的纵向关系 老年人的认知能力，（2）确定视力丧失与脑容量和皮质 老年人的大脑厚度，以及大脑体积和厚度在视觉-认知关系中可能发挥的作用， 以及（3）评估视力丧失与参与认知刺激活动之间的关联， 探索这种参与作为视觉认知关系的中介。候选人提出了一个 全面的培训计划，结合正式的课程，会议和辅导监督她的导师， 参加应用培训，参加研讨会和讲习班。具体培训 目标包括：（1）接受老年人神经心理学和临床评估方面的培训，（2） 发展神经成像分析技能，（3）接受视觉神经科学培训，（4）获得高级 调解和实验研究设计和分析的知识，以及（5）继续培训， 负责任地进行研究。培训计划将与一系列研究协调执行。 根据申请者收集的初步数据开展的上述活动。初步数据 显示视觉功能下降与以下横截面相关：（1）较低的执行功能，记忆， 和语言测试成绩，（2）减少灰色和白色物质的体积，在视觉皮层和额叶 耳垂候选人将使用来自巴尔的摩参与者的纵向数据来扩展这些发现 老龄化纵向研究（BLSA），60岁及以上。该项目的目的是测试“感官” 损失后果假说”，采用多领域的方法来检验视觉-认知的关系。 待检验的主要假设是：（1）视觉功能降低与更大的 执行功能、记忆力和语言测试分数下降，以及痴呆症发病风险增加， (2)视觉功能的降低与脑内感兴趣区域的脑体积和厚度的减少有关。 额叶皮层和视觉通路，它们调节视觉-认知关系，以及（3）年龄相关 视力丧失与参与认知刺激的频率和种类减少有关， 活动，这也影响了老年人的视觉认知关系。这项研究的结果将 用于制定随后的R 01研究计划，以促进候选人过渡到 独立研究员。

ABSTRACT This is an application for a K01 Research Career Development Award. The goal of the proposed project is to provide the candidate with advanced skills needed to establish an independent research program examining the relationship between vision loss and cognitive decline in older individuals. To facilitate this long-term goal the candidate will: (1) characterize the longitudinal relationship between objective measures of visual function and cognition in older adults, (2) determine the relationship between vision loss and brain volume and cortical thickness in older adults, and the role brain volume and thickness may play in the vision-cognition relationship, and (3) assess the association between vision loss and participation in cognitively stimulating activities, exploring this participation as a mediator of the vision-cognition relationship. The candidate proposes a comprehensive training plan, combining formal coursework, meetings and tutorials overseen by her mentors, participation in applied training experiences, and involvement in seminars and workshops. Specific training goals include: (1) receive training in the neuropsychological and clinical assessment of older individuals, (2) develop neuroimaging analyses skills, (3) receive training in the neuroscience of vision, (4) gain advanced knowledge of mediation and experimental study design and analyses, and (5) continued training in the responsible conduct of research. The training plan will be executed in coordination with the set of research activities, mentioned above, that are based on preliminary data collected by the applicant. The preliminary data show that reduced visual functioning is associated cross-sectionally with: (1) lower executive function, memory, and language test scores, and (2) reduced gray and white matter volumes, in the visual cortex and frontal lobes. The candidate will expand on these findings, using longitudinal data from participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging (BLSA) who are 60 years and older. The aim of the project is to test the `sensory loss consequence hypothesis', using a multi-domain approach to examine the vision-cognition relationship. The primary hypotheses to be examined are that: (1) reduced visual function is associated with greater declines in executive function, memory, and language test scores, and an increased risk of incident dementia, (2) reduced visual function is associated with reduced brain volume and thickness in regions of interest within the frontal cortex and visual pathways, which mediate the vision-cognition relationship, and (3) age-related vision loss is associated with a reduction in the frequency and variety of participation in cognitively stimulating activities, which also influences the vision-cognition relationship in older adults. Results from this research will be used to develop a subsequent R01 research proposal that will facilitate the candidate's transition to an independent researcher.