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09:30
Behavioral Assessment of the Aging Mouse Vestibular System
Published on: July 11, 2014
Age-related changes in vestibular function: a longitudinal study
R W Baloh1, J Enrietto, K M Jacobson
1Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90095-1769, USA. rwbaloh@ucla.edu
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|November 17, 2001
Summary
Age-related changes in the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) were studied longitudinally. Normal older subjects showed declining VOR function over time, unlike patients with stable bilateral vestibulopathy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Cross-sectional studies suggest reduced vestibular function with age.
- Longitudinal data on age-related vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) changes in humans is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify age-related changes in VOR in healthy older adults and patients with disequilibrium.
- To conduct the first longitudinal study on age-related VOR decline.
Main Methods:
- Measured VOR using step and sinusoidal stimuli in 57 healthy older adults over five yearly examinations.
- Assessed 7 patients with severe bilateral vestibulopathy over the same period.
- Analyzed VOR time constant, gain, and phase lead.
Main Results:
- Normal subjects exhibited a shorter VOR time constant and decreased gain/increased phase lead in sinusoidal responses over time.
- Visual-vestibular responses also showed decreased gain at low frequencies.
- Bilateral vestibulopathy patients showed minimal VOR changes.
Conclusions:
- This longitudinal study demonstrates age-related declines in VOR in healthy older adults.
- These VOR changes were not linked to disequilibrium symptoms.
- Stable bilateral vestibulopathy was observed in a subset of patients with disequilibrium.
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