The purpose of this epidemiologic study is to determine the 5-year incidence of hearing, vision, and olfactory impairments, sensory co-morbidity and age-related macular degeneration in the Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS) cohort, the associations of potential risk factors with these sensory impairments and ocular disorders, generational differences in risk and identify genetic markers for hearing impairment. Subjects are participants in the BOSS and were 21-84 years of age at the baseline examination (2005-2008). The proposed examination will use the same standardized protocols used in the baseline examination and will include a hearing evaluation (otoscopy, screening tympanometry, audiometry, word recognition and dichotic listening tests, distortion product otoacoustic emissions), eye examination (refraction, visual acuity measures, contrast sensitivity, and digital images of the lens and retina), olfaction testing (San Diego Odor Identification Test), and vascular measures (intima-medial thickness, blood pressure, retinal arteriolar and venular calibers, and pulse wave velocity). A standardized questionnaire about medical history, life-style factors and medication usage will be completed. Inflammatory markers (VCAM-1, TNF-1, hsCRP) will be measured on stored baseline samples to determine their associations with the incidence of sensory impairments. Stored samples from adults, ages 45-79 yrs in the BOSS and the parent cohort seen in the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (AG11099), will be genotyped using a 50,000 SNP panel of candidate genes for cardiovascular disease, inflammation and diabetes. This study of middle-aged adults will provide important new information about the epidemiology of sensory impairments in the people born during the baby-boom period (1946-64) compared to people born in earlier periods. We propose that these sensory impairments share common underlying risk factors which may operate through inflammatory and vascular pathways. This study will contribute to developing interventions targeted at mid-life to prevent or delay the onset of these sensory disorders of aging and essential information for planning to meet the health care needs of the aging baby-boom generation.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed study will contribute important information about the risk of developing hearing, olfaction and vision impairments and age-related macular degeneration in middle-aged adults. Understanding factors associated with the development of these conditions could lead to new treatments targeted at improving health for tomorrow's elders.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01AG021917-08S1
Application #
8474043
Study Section
Neurological, Aging and Musculoskeletal Epidemiology (NAME)
Program Officer
Chen, Wen G
Project Start
2004-12-01
Project End
2014-08-31
Budget Start
2012-06-01
Budget End
2012-08-31
Support Year
8
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$40,000
Indirect Cost
$11,069
Name
University of Wisconsin Madison
Department
Ophthalmology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
161202122
City
Madison
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53715
Fischer, Mary E; Cruickshanks, Karen J; Dillard, Lauren K et al. (2018) An Epidemiologic Study of the Association between Free Recall Dichotic Digits Test Performance and Vascular Health. J Am Acad Audiol :
Paulsen, Adam J; Schubert, Carla R; Johnson, Lauren J et al. (2018) Association of Cadmium and Lead Exposure With the Incidence of Contrast Sensitivity Impairment Among Middle-aged Adults. JAMA Ophthalmol 136:1342-1350
Fischer, Mary E; Cruickshanks, Karen J; Nondahl, David M et al. (2017) Dichotic Digits Test Performance Across the Ages: Results From Two Large Epidemiologic Cohort Studies. Ear Hear 38:314-320
Cruickshanks, Karen J; Nondahl, David M; Johnson, Lauren J et al. (2017) Generational Differences in the 5-Year Incidence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. JAMA Ophthalmol 135:1417-1423
Schubert, Carla R; Cruickshanks, Karen J; Fischer, Mary E et al. (2017) Sensory Impairments and Cognitive Function in Middle-Aged Adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 72:1087-1090
Chen, Yanjun; Nondahl, David M; Schubert, Carla R et al. (2017) A longitudinal population study of the impact of cataract extraction on sleep quality. Cogent Med 4:
Holzinger, Emily R; Verma, Shefali S; Moore, Carrie B et al. (2017) Discovery and replication of SNP-SNP interactions for quantitative lipid traits in over 60,000 individuals. BioData Min 10:25
Chen, Yanjun; Nondahl, David M; Schubert, Carla R et al. (2017) The Relation between Sleep Disruption and Cataract in a Large Population-Based Study. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 24:111-115
Wichmann, Margarete A; Cruickshanks, Karen J; Carlsson, Cynthia M et al. (2016) NSAID Use and Incident Cognitive Impairment in a Population-based Cohort. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 30:105-12
Tremblay, Kelly L; Pinto, Alex; Fischer, Mary E et al. (2015) Self-Reported Hearing Difficulties Among Adults With Normal Audiograms: The Beaver Dam Offspring Study. Ear Hear 36:e290-9

Showing the most recent 10 out of 57 publications