Pigeon Caroline, Marin-Lamellet Claude
a IFSTTAR, TS2, LESCOT , Bron Cedex , France.
Disabil Rehabil. 2017 Dec;39(24):2492-2498. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2016.1236407. Epub 2016 Oct 29.
Adaptation to blindness can lead to the enhancement of the attentional capacities and working memory in young people. However, although the effects of ageing on the cognition of sighted people and people with age-related visual impairments are well-documented, no study seems to have investigated the age-related changes of these cognitive processes in people who are blind. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of age on the attentional processes and working memory in blind people.
A cross-sectional study was conducted on 43 blind participants and 42 sighted participants. The participants performed auditory computerized tests assessing selective, sustained and divided attention, attentional switching, and working memory.
Two-way analysis of variance revealed significant visual status effect and age effect on most of the variables studied. No interaction was found between visual status and age effects.
These results suggest that the trajectories of cognitive age-related change are similar in blind people and in sighted people. This study has implications for rehabilitation, such as cognitive intervention. Implications for Rehabilitation Blind people show improved attentional capacities compared to sighted people, even in old blind people. Old blind people have lower performances than younger blind people in tests assessing selective, sustained and divided attention, and working memory. Cognitive approaches to rehabilitation may help people who are blind to deal with age-related cognitive decline and its effects on everyday functioning. A high level of cognitive stimulation, provided by a cognitive training or a developed social participation, might reduce the age-related effects in people who are blind.
适应失明可导致年轻人注意力和工作记忆能力增强。然而，尽管衰老对视障人士和与年龄相关的视力障碍者认知的影响已有充分记录，但似乎尚无研究调查失明者这些认知过程与年龄相关的变化。本研究旨在评估年龄对盲人注意力过程和工作记忆的影响。
对43名盲人参与者和42名视力正常的参与者进行了横断面研究。参与者进行了听觉计算机化测试，以评估选择性、持续性和分散性注意力、注意力转换和工作记忆。
双向方差分析显示，视觉状态效应和年龄效应在大多数研究变量上具有显著性。未发现视觉状态和年龄效应之间存在交互作用。
这些结果表明，盲人认知与年龄相关变化的轨迹与视力正常者相似。本研究对康复有启示，如认知干预。康复启示 与视力正常者相比，盲人的注意力能力有所提高，即使是老年盲人也是如此。在评估选择性、持续性和分散性注意力以及工作记忆的测试中，老年盲人的表现低于年轻盲人。认知康复方法可能有助于盲人应对与年龄相关的认知衰退及其对日常功能的影响。通过认知训练或发展社会参与提供的高水平认知刺激，可能会减少盲人与年龄相关的影响。
