BACKGROUND: Visual performance is impaired in patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT). We investigated the visual field topography of these deficits. METHODS: Humphrey automated perimetry (Program 30-2) was used to measure differential luminance sensitivity within the central 60 degrees of the visual field in SDAT patients (n = 61) and in visually and cognitively normal volunteer subjects of similar age (n = 61). Twenty-three SDAT patients were retested 18 months after the original examination. RESULTS: Reliable visual fields (by manufacturer's criteria) were obtained in 72.1% (44/61) of the control subjects and 55.7% (34/61) of the SDAT group. In the SDAT group, differential luminance sensitivity was significantly reduced relative to the control group. Visual sensitivity was reduced throughout the visual field, but deficits were most pronounced in the inferior visual field, where they presented most commonly as arcuate defects. Patients with more severe dementia exhibited greater reductions in visual sensitivity. On follow-up, 14 of 23 SDAT patients exhibited progression of visual field loss, whereas only two of 23 patients exhibited a regression of the visual field loss. CONCLUSIONS: Although automated perimetry requires considerable patient cooperation, many patients with SDAT can produce reliable visual field results. These patients exhibit significant reductions in global sensitivity. Visual field loss in SDAT is most pronounced in the inferonasal and inferotemporal arcuate regions of the visual field but also involves the central field.
BACKGROUND: Visual performance is impaired in patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT). We investigated the visual field topography of these deficits. METHODS: Humphrey automated perimetry (Program 30-2) was used to measure differential luminance sensitivity within the central 60 degrees of the visual field in SDATpatients (n = 61) and in visually and cognitively normal volunteer subjects of similar age (n = 61). Twenty-three SDATpatients were retested 18 months after the original examination. RESULTS: Reliable visual fields (by manufacturer's criteria) were obtained in 72.1% (44/61) of the control subjects and 55.7% (34/61) of the SDAT group. In the SDAT group, differential luminance sensitivity was significantly reduced relative to the control group. Visual sensitivity was reduced throughout the visual field, but deficits were most pronounced in the inferior visual field, where they presented most commonly as arcuate defects. Patients with more severe dementia exhibited greater reductions in visual sensitivity. On follow-up, 14 of 23 SDATpatients exhibited progression of visual field loss, whereas only two of 23 patients exhibited a regression of the visual field loss. CONCLUSIONS: Although automated perimetry requires considerable patient cooperation, many patients with SDAT can produce reliable visual field results. These patients exhibit significant reductions in global sensitivity. Visual field loss in SDAT is most pronounced in the inferonasal and inferotemporal arcuate regions of the visual field but also involves the central field.
Authors: Yuchun Tsai; Bin Lu; Alexander V Ljubimov; Sergey Girman; Fred N Ross-Cisneros; Alfredo A Sadun; Clive N Svendsen; Robert M Cohen; Shaomei Wang Journal: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Date: 2014-01-29 Impact factor: 4.799
Authors: Francisco J Ascaso; Nancy Cruz; Pedro J Modrego; Raul Lopez-Anton; Javier Santabárbara; Luis F Pascual; Antonio Lobo; José A Cristóbal Journal: J Neurol Date: 2014-05-21 Impact factor: 4.849
Authors: F Sartucci; D Borghetti; T Bocci; L Murri; P Orsini; V Porciatti; N Origlia; L Domenici Journal: Brain Res Bull Date: 2010-04-10 Impact factor: 4.077
Authors: Yosef Koronyo; David Biggs; Ernesto Barron; David S Boyer; Joel A Pearlman; William J Au; Shawn J Kile; Austin Blanco; Dieu-Trang Fuchs; Adeel Ashfaq; Sally Frautschy; Gregory M Cole; Carol A Miller; David R Hinton; Steven R Verdooner; Keith L Black; Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui Journal: JCI Insight Date: 2017-08-17