Loss of otolith function with age is associated with increased postural sway measures

Abstract

Background-Loss of balance and increased fall risk is a common problem associated with aging. Changes in vestibular function occur with aging but the contribution of reduced vestibular otolith function to fall risk remains unknown.

Electroencephalography to Assess Motor Control During Balance Tasks in People with Diabetes

“…6,38 In the young, they are able to compensate for loss of a single stressor such as vision, but in the elderly or people with diabetes, vision is critical. 24,31,39,40 Even walking or standing in dim light, for people with diabetes, increases sway. 8 The data in the present investigation, then, agree with previous data in that under conditions of eyes closed, sway was greater in the older group and even greater in the group with diabetes.…”

Noise-Enhanced Vestibular Input Improves Dynamic Walking Stability in Healthy Subjects

“…These beneficial effects of noise-enhanced vestibular input might also entail important clinical relevance. Decrements in vestibular function due to aging or disease are accompanied by postural disequilibrium during standing and walking and typically result in a higher risk to fall [38,39]. Currently, there is no effective treatment option available for subjects with bilateral vestibular dysfunction except rehabilitation [40].…”

Ocular and Cervical Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Tumarkin Falls

“…Additionally, damage to the otolithic-ocular reflex may increase the mediolateral swaying, which increases the risk of falls (21). Thus, residual (nearly absent) utricular function may cause instability of the head and abolish the normal head and body resting response to falling (14).…”