Grant: Team Grant: CCNA Phase III: Research Teams

Sensory loss (hearing, vision, smell) is strongly associated with cognitive decline and dementia and is important for the quality of life and functional capacity of older adults with or at risk for dementia. Our national research team will conduct innovative research that will produce an integrated model of relationships between sensory health and cognitive outcomes and will lead to new knowledge with the potential to improve the quality of life of older adults. Our interdisciplinary team spans psychology, audiology, otolaryngology, low vision, genetics, gerontology, neurology, brain imaging, and epidemiology. Our research will test possible pathways linking sensory loss, cognitive decline, and dementia, in the general population and in persons living with dementia. We will investigate three possible reasons: a) common biological causes (e.g., genes), b) that sensory loss causes cognitive and/or brain changes due to poor quality sensory input, and c) that social, physical activity, and/or mental health changes due to sensory loss result in poorer outcomes. We will examine how sensory loss is related to activities important for maintaining the social participation of older adults, including a) effective communication between individuals living with dementia and their care partners, b) driving behaviours, and c) changes in mental health. We will examine potential differences between men and women. We will provide education on managing modifiable sensory risk factors for the public and health-care providers and we will provide interdisciplinary training for the next generation of dementia researchers. Our work is guided by collaboration with knowledge users and patient partners with lived experience with cognitive decline and/or sensory difficulties, who will contribute to the research design and the communication of relevant and effective knowledge. Together, this work has the potential to enhance approaches to personalized medicine and public health.