Abstract
Increase in age leads to observable histological chanlfes in nearly all anatomic structures involved in the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). Should reflex function depend directly on intact peripheral vestibular structures, then we might expect a decline in the VOR in response to anatomical loss.
Alternatively, if the central compensatory mechanisms remain intact, the function of the VOR may remain relatively stable in spite of peripheral anatomical deterioration. Most studies indicatedecreased gain with increasing age.
It has been recently shown that commonly used low-frequency stimuli are often insufficient to reveal vestibular impairment. Vestibular loss, especially in chroniclesions, can be best demonstratedby the head-impulsetest, which uses high accelerations.
Our aim is to test how aging affects function of rotational VOR response characteristics to transient rotational testing at high-acceleration head impulses, performed in all three orthogonal planes of stimulation.