Otoconia in young and elderly persons: a temporal bone study

Using serially sectioned human temporal bones, the volumes of otoconia masses were compared between young children and elderly people. The latter group had significantly less otoconia volume than the former group, both in the macula utriculi and macula sacculi. The ratio between macula utriculi and macula sacculi was 100:70 in the young group, whereas it was 100:35 in the elderly group. Thus, the macula sacculi in the elderly group showed the severest otoconia reduction.