Familial and Birth Cohort Effects on the Aging Senses

University Of Wisconsin Madison, Madison WI

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by investigator): The purpose of this proposed epidemiologic study is to measure the prevalence of age-related sensory impairments (hearing, vision, olfaction) and subclinical disorders (cataract and age-related maculopathy) in the offspring of participants in the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (EHLS; AG11099), to determine the association of subclinical vascular disease with sensory disorders and to evaluate birth cohort and familial effects on sensory impairments. This study will build on the contributions of the EHLS and the Beaver Dam Eye Study (EY06594). Offspring of EHLS participants will be eligible for this study. They (n=5977) will be examined using the same standardized protocols used in the parent studies. The examination 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, amplitude of accommodation, and digital images of the lens and retina), olfaction testing (San Diego Odor Identification Test), and vascular measures (B-mode carotid ultrasound to determine intima-medial thickness), ankle-brachial index, blood pressure, retinal arteriolar-venular ratio, and pulse wave velocity). This epidemiologic cohort study will provide new epidemiologic data on the prevalence of sensory impairments, sensory disorders, and subclinical atherosclerosis in the post-war "baby-boomer" generation. With the vast changes in lifestyles and exposures experienced by the post-WWll cohort compared to earlier generations, it is important to ascertain whether there are birth cohort differences in risk of sensory disorders for the post-WWII generation and to identify factors contributing to the risk differentials. These data are needed to help adequately prepare to meet the health care needs of the future generation of the elderly. In addition, the existing data from the parent population will be used with the new cohort's data to evaluate the familial aggregation of sensory disorders and sensory co-morbidity to determine the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors. There will be an expected 2066 nuclear families representing 5946 sibpairs and 350 extended families (including aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins) available for these analyses. These data will provide important new information on the risks of age-related sensory disorders and are essential for planning prevention programs to improve quality of life for the 80 million aging children born between 1946-1964.