title: Aging reduces the high-frequency and short-term adaptation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex in mice.
abstract: Prevailing evidence indicates a relatively late life decline in human vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) function. Although mice are commonly used in mechanistic studies of vestibular function, it remains unclear whether aging produces a corresponding decline in VOR function in mice. We sought to determine how the baseline VOR and its short-term adaptation were affected by aging. We tested 8 young (3-month old) and 8 aged (30-month old-equivalent to a ∼80-year old human) C57BL/6 mice. We measured their VOR response to whole-body static tilts and during 0.1-10 Hz whole-body sinusoidal and transient rotations before and after VOR adaptation training. Our data revealed minimal differences in static counter-tilt response between young and aged mice, but a significant deficit in baseline VOR gain in aged mice during transient rotations. Moreover, aged mice had a significant decrease in short-term VOR adaptation, particularly for training that sought to decrease the VOR response.
authors.affiliation: Balance and Vision Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Serajul I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Balance and Vision Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Patrick P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Hübner
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brichta
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Doug W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Balance and Vision Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: a.migliaccio@neura.edu.au.
authors.forename: Americo A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Migliaccio
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D012027:Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Aged mice; C57BL/6J mice; Vestibular adaptation; Vestibular plasticity; Vestibulo-ocular reflex