title: Reaction time for peripheral visual field increases during stepping task in older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  For safe locomotion, visual attention must be directed toward not only the central visual field but also the peripheral visual field. This study explored the effect of stepping task on reaction time for the central and peripheral visual fields in young and older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine older (mean age 83.8±6.8 years) and 11 young adults (mean age 22.9±1.3 years) participated in this study. Reaction times to press a handheld button in response to stimuli for the central and peripheral visual fields were measured in static standing and stepping task conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vision angle and condition were significantly associated with reaction time in the older group (p=0.006), while reaction time in the young group was affected by vision angle only. Reaction times for visual stimulus at a 45° vision angle were significantly longer in the older group in stepping task conditions than in static standing conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Effective visual field may diminish during lightly loaded exercise in older adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Daikouminami, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Japan. kazuki.uemura@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Koutatsu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ichihashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult