# Sensory Impairments, Cognitive Decline, and Dementia: What Explains the Association?

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2021 · $130,424

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Given the lack of effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD),
identification of modifiable risk factors is critical. Sensory impairments may affect over 50% of adults aged 65
years and older and have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD). However,
the nature of this association in diverse aging populations is not well understood. Furthermore, the underlying
pathways and mechanisms for why hearing and visual impairments predict dementia are unclear. Hearing and
visual impairments are hypothesized to 1.) directly impact brain structure and function to accelerate cognitive
decline, 2.) indirectly influence cognitive decline due to links to other dementia risk factors such as
psychosocial factors, or 3.) represent underlying neurodegeneration or cardiovascular disease. The scientific
goal of this study is to adopt a systematic approach to evaluate the role of hearing and visual impairments in
cognitive decline and risk of dementia as well as to identify mechanisms that explain the relationship. This
project focuses on hearing and visual impairments as these have the greatest effect on quality of life and high
potential for treatment or correction. In a feasible and cost-effective approach, this project will leverage three
existing and complementary studies of aging that have measures of sensory and cognitive function: The Health
Aging and Body Composition Study, a 15-year population-based cohort of 3,075 black and white adults in the
U.S; the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center, a database of US Alzheimer’s Disease Center participants
including autopsy findings; and The UK Biobank, a study of 500,000 UK adults with clinical and genetic data.
Innovative and rigorous epidemiologic approaches will be applied to conduct 1.) a study of diverse older adults
using objective measures of hearing and visual impairments and 2.) a Mendelian Randomization analysis, a
novel approach to enhance causal inference, as well as studies to determine whether associations are
explained by 3.) underlying neuropathologic mechanisms or by 4.) psychosocial mediators. The research plan
in this mentored career development award is complemented by training activities that build on the candidate’s
background in epidemiology and provides new training in a.) clinical dementia assessment, b.) advanced
casual inference methods, and c.) age-related hearing and visual impairments. Together the candidate’s
research aims, training activities, and guidance from a multidisciplinary mentorship team will allow the
candidate to develop a successful independent research program examining the relationship between sensory
impairments and ADRD. The current research plan is expected to provide critical insight into what factors and
mechanisms can explain the associations between sensory impairment and ADRD. These findings will inform
whether sensory impairments or their downstream psychosocial effects can be use...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10144915
- **Project number:** 5K01AG062722-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Willa Domino Brenowitz
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $130,424
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10144915

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10144915, Sensory Impairments, Cognitive Decline, and Dementia: What Explains the Association? (5K01AG062722-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10144915. Licensed CC0.

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