The effect of aging on visual-vestibuloocular responses.
To determine age-related changes in oculomotor function we measured vestibuloocular (VOR), optokinetic (OKN), and visual-vestibular responses in a large group of normal subjects over the age of 75 years and compared the results with those from a group of young adults. Compared with the young subjects, older subjects had: (1) an amplitude-dependent decrease in VOR gain, (2) a shorter dominant VOR time constant, (3) a lower OKN slow-phase velocity saturation, and (4) a decreased ability to enhance and suppress the VOR with vision. These functional changes in older subjects are presumably secondary to well-documented, age-related changes in the sensory and neural elements of the visual-vestibulooculomotor pathways. They may be a contributory factor to the common complaints of dizziness and dysequilibrium in people over the age of 75 years.
Baloh
R W
RW
Department of Neurology, Reed Neurological Research Center, UCLA Medical Center 90024-1769.
Jacobson
K M
KM
Socotch
T M
TM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017120:Nystagmus, Optokinetic / Q000502:physiology; D012027:Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular / Q000502:physiology*