Aging and the Relationship between Balance Performance, Vestibular Function and Somatosensory Thresholds.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Neuroscience
• Human Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Aging significantly impacts sensory and motor functions, affecting balance and mobility.
• Understanding age-related changes in somatosensory and vestibular systems is crucial for fall prevention.
• The horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (HVOR) plays a key role in maintaining visual stability during head movements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of physiological aging on somatosensory, vestibular, and balance functions.
• To determine the predictive power of age, somatosensory, and vestibular functions on balance performance.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 141 asymptomatic adults.
• Assessed touch pressure thresholds (TPT) and vibration thresholds (VT) using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and neurothesiometer.
• Evaluated horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (HVOR) with video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) and balance using Romberg, Timed Up and Go (TUG), and tandem gait (TG) tests.

Main Results:

• Aging significantly affected TPT, VT, and balance, but not HVOR gain or asymmetry.
• Age, TPT (heel, MT1), and VT (MT1, MM) explained 43.1%–47.2% of the variance in balance tests (standing, TUG, TG).
• HVOR gain also predicted TG performance, indicating its contribution to dynamic balance.

Conclusions:

• Somatosensation and balance decline with age in asymptomatic adults, while HVOR remains stable, potentially due to vestibular adaptation.
• Age, somatosensory function (VT, TPT), and HVOR gain are significant predictors of balance performance.
• Further research with larger, multi-decade samples is recommended to confirm these findings.