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Aging Increases Compensatory Saccade Amplitude in the Video Head Impulse Test
Eric R Anson1, Robin T Bigelow1, John P Carey1
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD , USA.
As people age, their compensatory saccade size increases, even with normal rotational vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain. This finding suggests saccade amplitude may help assess age-related vestibular function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Rotational vestibular function and gaze stability naturally decline with age.
- Compensatory saccades are a mechanism to improve gaze stability when vestibular function is impaired.
- Even minor reductions in rotational vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain are linked to compensatory saccades.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if compensatory saccade characteristics change with age, independent of VOR gain.
- To determine the relationship between age and saccade latency and amplitude.
- To assess the role of age in compensatory saccade behavior in healthy adults.
Main Methods:
- Measured horizontal VOR gain using video head impulse testing in 243 participants (age 27-93).
- Recorded latency and amplitude of compensatory saccades (covert and overt).
- Used regression analyses to evaluate age-related saccade characteristics, adjusting for VOR gain, gender, and race.
Main Results:
- Older adults exhibited significantly larger compensatory saccades than younger adults.
- Age was significantly associated with the amplitude of both covert and overt compensatory saccades, even after controlling for VOR gain.
- Compensatory saccade latencies did not show a significant age-related difference.
Conclusions:
- Compensatory saccade amplitude increases with age in healthy individuals, independent of VOR gain.
- Saccade amplitude may serve as an additional metric alongside VOR gain for evaluating vestibular function in aging.
- These findings highlight age-related changes in the neural control of gaze stabilization.
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