[Age dependence of the interaction between proprioception and vision--a posturographic study].
BACKGROUND
The influence of fixation on the vestibulo-ocular reflex and the synergistic stabilising effect of vision on the body equilibrium are well known. In this study interactions between the visual and the proprioceptive systems in patients of different ages are analysed. We tried to find out whether body equilibrium reactions, recorded by posturography, are influenced qualitatively and quantitatively by visual inputs.


METHODS
349 neurotologic patients aged between 3 and 80 years were included in this study. We applied different optical patterns by means of a videoscreen to the patients standing on a posturographic platform. The patients were asked to follow the pattern with their centre of the gravity, which was also shown on the video screen. The patterns consisted of a line that had to be followed in the anterior-posterior and in the lateral plane and of a circle which had to be followed clockwise and counterclockwise.


RESULTS
We recognised definite age-related changes in all tests used. The precision to follow a visual target with the body equilibrium increased with increasing age to the age of forty. With the beginning fifth decade this postural ability decreases slowly and decreases particularly markedly in patients of over 70 years of age.


CONCLUSIONS
Posturography in combination with visual feedback is a valuable technique for testing visual-proprioceptive interactions. It can be employed over a large age bracket.
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Beratungsstelle für Hörbehinderte Berlin-Neukölln.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D011603:Psychophysiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012027:Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests