@article{7f2044a21331451aa881931bbb221b7a,
title = "Genetic influence on contrast sensitivity in middle-aged male twins",
abstract = "Contrast sensitivity is strongly associated with daily functioning among older adults, but the genetic and environmental contributions to this ability are unknown. Using the classical twin method, we addressed this issue by examining contrast sensitivity at five spatial frequencies (1.5-18 cycles per degree) in 718 middle-aged male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging (VETSA). Heritability estimates were modest (14-38\%), whereas individual-specific environmental influences accounted for 62-86\% of the variance. Identifying the types of individual-specific events that impact contrast sensitivity may suggest interventions to modulate this ability and thereby improve overall quality of life as adults age.",
keywords = "Aging, Contrast, Spatial",
author = "Alice Cronin-Golomb and Panizzon, \{Matthew S.\} and Lyons, \{Michael J.\} and Franz, \{Carol E.\} and Grant, \{Michael D.\} and Jacobson, \{Kristen C.\} and Eisen, \{Seth A.\} and Laudate, \{Thomas M.\} and Kremen, \{William S.\}",
note = "Funding Information: We are grateful to Melissa Amick, Ph.D., and Sandy Neargarder, Ph.D., for consultation on the vision measures; Uraina Clark, M.A., and Sigurros Davidsdottir, Ph.D., for collection of the young and elderly comparison data; and Grover C. Gilmore, Ph.D., Denise Valenti, O.D., and Arthur Wingfield, Ph.D., for helpful discussions. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs has provided financial support for the development and maintenance of the Vietnam Era Twin (VET) Registry. Numerous organizations have provided invaluable assistance, including VA Cooperative Studies Program; Department of Defense; National Personnel Records Center, National Archives and Records Administration; the Internal Revenue Service; National Institutes of Health; National Opinion Research Center; National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences; the Institute for Survey Research, Temple University; Schulman, Ronca, and Bucuvalas, Inc. This VETSA project is supported by grants from NIH/NIA (R01 AG018384, R01 AG018386, R01 AG022381, and R01 AG022982). Most importantly, the authors gratefully acknowledge the continued cooperation and participation of the members of the VET Registry and their families. Without their contribution this research would not have been possible.",
year = "2007",
month = jul,
doi = "10.1016/j.visres.2007.04.017",
language = "English",
volume = "47",
pages = "2179--2186",
journal = "Vision Research",
issn = "0042-6989",
number = "16",
}