Visual impairment and cognitive decline are both common conditions in aging and are closely interrelated. Accumulating evidence suggests that visual impairment is a significant risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this link, such as the sensory deprivation hypothesis, the common cause hypothesis, and the cascade hypothesis. However, the multilevel mechanisms are not fully understood, especially regarding the neural pathways and potential genetic basis.
This project aims to investigate the multilevel mechanisms by which visual impairment accelerates cognitive decline in aging, integrating behavioral, brain imaging, and genetic data. The main research questions are:
How does visual impairment influence cognitive trajectories in aging, especially in domains like memory, attention and executive function?
What are the neural mechanisms (e.g., regional atrophy, functional connectivity changes) underlying the impact of visual impairment on cognitive aging?
Are there shared genetic risk factors for visual impairment and cognitive decline?
Can visual intervention (e.g., cataract surgery) slow down cognitive decline by modulating relevant neural mechanisms?
