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Age-related differences during a gaze reorientation task while standing or walking on a treadmill.
Michael Cinelli1, Aftab Patla, Bethany Stuart
1Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences, Brown University, Providence, USA. Michael_Cinelli@brown.edu
Experimental Brain Research
|January 16, 2008
Summary
Older adults exhibit distinct gaze reorientation strategies compared to younger individuals, impacting head stability and balance. Visual cues aid older adults in stabilizing head movements by integrating sensory information.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Biomechanics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Falls are a significant concern for adults over 65.
- Decreased head stability and impaired balance contribute to falls in older adults.
- Gaze reorientation strategies in older adults remain under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate head stability and balance control during gaze reorientation in older adults.
- To compare the gaze reorientation strategies of older adults with those of young adults.
- To identify factors influencing head stability in older adults during dynamic tasks.
Main Methods:
- Ten older adults (mean age 69 years) performed a gaze reorientation task.
- Participants stood or walked on a treadmill while reorienting their gaze.
- Kinematic data of body segments and eye movements were recorded.
Main Results:
- Older adults demonstrated different gaze reorientation strategies than young adults.
- Synchronous shoulder and hip rotations occurred during standing, becoming more variable during treadmill walking.
- A greater delay was observed between eye movement onset and body segment movement in older adults.
- Visual targets improved head-in-space stability by integrating multisensory information.
Conclusions:
- Age-related declines in physiological systems likely contribute to altered gaze reorientation.
- Older adults adapt their movement strategies to maintain stability.
- Multisensory integration, particularly visual input, plays a crucial role in head stabilization for older adults.
