Mandibular reaction time to auditory and visual signals in young and elderly subjects

Mandibular reaction time was measured in young and elderly volunteers. Each subject was instructed to open the jaw from the closed position and to close the jaw from the open position as quickly as possible after perceiving an auditory or visual signal. The reaction time of the elderly subjects to both signals was significantly slower than that of the young subjects. This was due almost entirely to prolongation of the premotor time component. There was no difference in the maximum velocity of the jaw movement between the two groups of subjects.