Subjective visual vertical and postural performance in healthy children.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Postural stability and subjective verticality are crucial for daily life.
• Sensory information (visual, vestibular, somatosensory) integrates to form spatial references.
• Children's increased reliance on vision for verticality compared to adults is noted, yet developmental studies are scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the development of the sense of verticality in children.
• To compare postural stability and subjective visual vertical perception between children and adults.
• To explore the impact of visual dependency on spatial orientation in developing individuals.

Main Methods:

• Comparative study involving 10 children (6-8 years) and 12 young adults.
• Postural stability assessed using a Techno Concept platform.
• Subjective visual vertical perception measured under conditions of darkness, visual perturbation, and fixation.

Main Results:

• Children demonstrated significantly poorer postural stability than adults, especially during dual-tasking without visual references.
• Children showed higher variability and lower accuracy in reporting subjective verticality compared to adults.
• Reduced performance in children was exacerbated in conditions lacking clear visual input.

Conclusions:

• Children may possess limited attentional resources, prioritizing more demanding tasks.
• Findings align with a U-shaped non-linear model of attentional resource development.
• Further research is needed to fully understand the developmental trajectory of spatial orientation and verticality perception.