Sensorimotor deficits related to postural stability. Implications for falling in the elderly

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Age-related declines in sensorimotor and central processing significantly impact postural control.
• There is a notable lack of comprehensive understanding regarding age-related changes in proprioception.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the effects of age-related sensorimotor and central processing deficits on postural control.
• To highlight the knowledge gaps in age-related proprioceptive changes.
• To propose a model for understanding responses to postural instability.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of age-related sensorimotor and central processing deficits.
• Outline of a model detailing processing stages in response to postural instability.
• Discussion of cognitive penetrability in postural responses.

Main Results:

• Even minor delays in response time lead to disproportionately larger, clinically significant slow responses.
• Numerous components of postural responses demonstrate cognitive penetrability.
• Age-related changes in sensorimotor and central processing are key factors in postural control deficits.

Conclusions:

• Further research into falls should investigate both learned and automated behavioral components.
• Increased understanding of proprioceptive changes with aging is needed.
• The proposed model provides a framework for analyzing postural control responses in older adults.