The Active AMD Study to Improve Function in Veterans With Age Related Macular Degeneration
VA Office of Research and Development
Summary
Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss among Veterans aged 50 years and older. AMD also adversely affects mortality, physical and cognitive functioning, and activities of daily living. These debilitations negatively impact quality of life for US Veterans. Unfortunately, there are no cures and few treatments. With the increase in the aging Veteran population and the increasing prevalence of AMD, it is imperative to identify and implement strategies to limit the functional burden of AMD. To address this growing challenge, the investigators propose to test the impact of a proven exercise intervention, stationary bicycling (spinning), on visual and non-visual negative health outcomes in AMD. The work in several retinal degeneration mouse models shows that aerobic exercise significantly preserves retinal morphology and function and visual acuity. Even more exciting, the investigators' preliminary work with older Veterans with and without AMD suggests that spin cycling modestly but significantly benefits visual acuity in aged Veterans. Based on this work, the investigators propose to implement a 6-month synchronous, online group spin cycling program for Veterans with AMD, evaluating effects on physical, cognitive, and visual outcomes.
Description
Aim 1 is to determine if exercise training preserves visual outcomes in Veterans with intermediate AMD when compared to a non-aerobic exercised, contact-controlled AMD group. Best corrected visual acuity, dark adaptometry, contrast sensitivity, optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) and the Low Luminance Questionnaire will be assessed before, mid, and after the 6-month interventional period. In line with previous animal and human subject studies, the investigators also hypothesize a correlation between improved visual function with increases in serum brain derived neurotrophic factor…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 65–89 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * The investigators will recruit Veterans with a diagnosis of intermediate stage AMD in at least one eye, aged 65-89, willing and able to cooperate with assessments and interventions. * Eligible participants will be quantified \> 26 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to meet the criteria for cognitively intact. * Participants will be free from diseases affecting cognition or ability to engage in aerobic exercise (including but not limited to chronic heart, liver, or kidney disease) and from diseases/injuries directly affecting brain functions (including but not li…
Interventions
- BehavioralSPIN
Stationary cycling
- BehavioralNon-aerobic, stretching/balance intervention Control
Balance and stretching exercise
Location
- Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur, GADecatur, Georgia