Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026
09:30
Behavioral Assessment of the Aging Mouse Vestibular System
Published on: July 11, 2014
17.6K
Associations Between Vestibular Function and White Matter Microstructure in Healthy Older Adults
Dominic M Padova1, Yuchen Yang2, John Tilak Ratnanather3
1Center for Imaging Science, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Medrxiv : the Preprint Server for Health Sciences
|September 15, 2025
Summary
Vestibular function, particularly the horizontal semicircular canal, shows complex associations with white matter integrity in older adults. Better canal function may protect some pathways, while potentially harming others, highlighting a nuanced relationship with aging.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Vestibular system decline is linked to motor and cognitive deficits in aging.
- The microstructural integrity of white matter (WM) pathways is crucial for brain function.
- Understanding the relationship between vestibular function and WM integrity is vital for aging research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between specific vestibular functions (saccule, utricle, horizontal semicircular canal) and the microstructural integrity of 19 WM pathways.
- To explore how these associations differ across vestibular organs and WM tracts in healthy older adults.
Main Methods:
- Utilized diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics (fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity) to assess WM microstructure in 394 participants (60+ years).
- Assessed vestibular function using cVEMP (saccule), oVEMP (utricle), and vHIT (horizontal semicircular canal).
- Employed multiple linear regression analysis, adjusting for relevant covariates, to examine WM-vestibular function associations.
Main Results:
- Horizontal semicircular canal function correlated with integrity in tracts like the external capsule and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, but showed lower integrity in others like the internal capsule.
- Utricular function was associated with higher integrity in the anterior limb of the internal capsule and fornix, but lower integrity in the retrolenticular limb.
- Saccular function did not show significant associations with WM microstructure.
Conclusions:
- This study reveals novel associations between vestibular end-organ function and WM microstructure in healthy older adults.
- Horizontal canal function demonstrates widespread associations with sensorimotor tracts, while utricular function shows more localized effects.
- Findings suggest that vestibular function may influence WM resilience and degeneration pathways, warranting further longitudinal investigation.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Equilibrium and Balance
6.3K
The inner ear assumes dual functionalities of auditory perception and equilibrium maintenance. The vestibule is the organ responsible for balance. This organ contains mechanoreceptors, specifically hair cells, endowed with stereocilia, which aid in deciphering information regarding the position and motion of our heads. Two intrinsic components, the utricle and saccule, help perceive head position, while the semicircular canals track head movement. Neurological messages initiated in the...
6.3K
01:29The Vestibular System
43.4K
The vestibular system is a set of inner ear structures that provide a sense of balance and spatial orientation. This system is comprised of structures within the labyrinth of the inner ear, including the cochlea and two otolith organs—the utricle and saccule. The labyrinth also contains three semicircular canals—superior, posterior, and horizontal—that are oriented on different planes.
43.4K