POSGTUROGRAPHY MEASURING INSTABILITY IN VESTIBULAR DYSFUNCTION IN THE ELDERLY

Abstract

Balance dysfunction may be a cause of falling in the elderly. Disturbance of the vestibular system may have a repercussion upon balance performance, causing instability. Unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) and its disturbing influence upon the vestibulospinal reflex (VSR), measured by the postural sway, has been studied. This influence is dependent on the interfering action of central adaptive and compensatory mechanisms. This central compensation may be different for vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and the VSR. This comparative study shows that the elaboration of compensation in elderly people is less efficacious at the VSR level than at the VOR level. The influence of visual fixation is also stressed by comparing the posturographic recordings made with eyes open and eyes closed.