title: Saccades improve postural control: a developmental study in normal children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dual-task performance is known to affect postural stability in children. This study focused on the effect of oculomotor tasks like saccadic eye movements on postural stability, studied in a large population of children by recording simultaneously their eye movements and posture.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-five healthy children from 5.8 to 17.6 years old were examined. All children were free of any vestibular, neurological, ophtalmologic and orthoptic abnormalities. Postural control was measured with a force platform TechnoConcept®, and eye movements with video oculography (MobilEBT®). Children performed two oculomotor tasks: fixation of a stable central target and horizontal saccades. We measured the saccade latency and the number of saccades during fixation as well as the surface, length and mean velocity of the center of pressure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During postural measurement, we observed a correlation between the age on the one hand and a decrease in saccade latency as well as an improvement in the quality of fixation on the other. Postural sway decreases with age and is reduced in the dual task (saccades) in comparison with a simple task of fixation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest a maturation of neural circuits controlling posture and eye movements during childhood. This study also shows the presence of an interaction between the oculomotor system and the postural system. Engaging in oculomotor tasks results in a reduction of postural sway.
authors.affiliation: Vestibular and Oculomotor Evaluation Unit, ORL Dept., 75019 Robert Debré Paediatric Hospital, Paris, France ; UMR 676, INSERM- Université Paris 7, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Layla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ajrezo
authors.forename: Sylvette
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiener-Vacher
authors.forename: Maria Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Bucci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005133:Eye Movements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012438:Saccades