Are Eye Problems DEMENTIA Predictors or Symptoms? Visual Insensitivity

In this video, I review recent news reports concerning British- (United Kindgom-) based research connecting "loss of visual sensitivity" with various forms of cognitive impairment and dementia.

A prominent (prospective cohort) study followed over 8,000 people for a decade. Some of them developed Alzheimer's Disease or other cognitive afflictions during the study interval. In retrospect, researchers believe that early vision testing might serve as a predictor of those who will eventually manifest some kind of full-blown dementia.

Alternatively, investigators suppose that visual insensitivity -- specically, diminishment / reduction of visual-processing speed -- may constitute the earliest detectable symptom of cognitive impairment.

Admittedly, the science is still in an early stage. So, much remains uncertain.

However, these developments are surely promising and may lend themselves to the implementation of various "Alzheimer's Proofing" strategies.

00:00 Teaser
00:48 Introduction
01:12 Preliminaries: Definitions, etc.
02:00 The Test Basics
03:18 Lingering Questions
03:21 Was the test "complete"?
03:47 Did the study end with the participants' deaths, or before?
04:46 Is the "vision problem" due to the eyes or the *brain*?
06:55 Relatedly, are the vision problems "predictors" of dementia, or early detectors?
08:07 How "firm" are the findings?
08:32 At least two other tests seem to work better
09:17 Wrap up and "outro"