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Somatosensory function in old age
1Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Claude D. Pepper Center on Oral Health in Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation
|January 29, 2017
Summary
Ageing affects senses, but declines aren't uniform across all systems. Vision and hearing show the most common age-related changes, while other senses like touch are less consistently impacted.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Science
Background:
- Ageing is often associated with sensory decline, but this is not universally observed across all sensory modalities.
- Psychophysical studies highlight common age-related declines in vision and audition, with less pronounced changes in olfaction and gustation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the consistency of sensory decline reports across different sensory systems with ageing.
- To identify factors contributing to individual variability in age-related sensory changes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of psychophysical studies examining sensory function in ageing populations.
- Review of factors influencing sensory perception and individual differences.
Main Results:
- Vision and audition demonstrate the most consistent declines with ageing.
- Somatosensory system (mechanoreception, thermoreception, pain) findings are less conclusive.
- Individual differences are influenced by stimulus characteristics, response measures, systemic diseases, and environmental factors.
Conclusions:
- Sensory decline with ageing is variable and not a universal phenomenon across all sensory systems.
- Factors beyond chronological age significantly impact sensory perception and contribute to individual differences in ageing.
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