Association Between Cataract Extraction and Development of Dementia

In a new paper published in JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Cecilia Lee and her colleagues report exciting findings related to the association between cataract surgery and dementia risk. Using data from Adult Changes in Thought, an ongoing longitudinal study following 5000+ older adults for the development of Alzheimer disease and other dementias, they compared outcomes of participants with cataract who had surgery to those who did not. Participants who underwent cataract surgery had nearly 30% lower risk of developing dementia from any cause compared with those who did not, even after controlling for many health-related confounders and potential sources of biases.

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Associations Between Retinal Artery/Vein Occlusions and Risk of Vascular Dementia

In this study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Dr. Cecilia Lee and her co-authors investigated whether retinal artery and retinal vein occlusions are risk factors for developing dementia. Retinal vascular occlusions are associated with aging and can reflect systemic vascular changes related to diseases like hypertension and cardiovascular disease, changes that may also be occurring in the brain. Vascular pathology is already known to be an important risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Dr. Lee wondered if retinal vascular occlusion might be a harbinger for problems with cognition down the line.

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