ABERRATIONS IN POSTURAL CONTROL, VIBRATION SENSATION AND SOME VESTIBULAR FINDINGS IN HEALTHY 64-92-YEAR-OLD SUBJECTS

To assess changes in postural control among healthy elderly and to cor relate with suspected age-related events, 33 women and 16 men were stu died, Postural control was evaluated by vibration-induced body sway, m easured on a force platform, and vibration sensation was tested with a tuning fork, Occurrence of spontaneous gaze and head-shake-induced ny stagmus was observed with infrared charged couple device (CCD) cameras and the subjects' medical history was reviewed,Vibration perception w as the major determinant for the magnitude of body sway, Although thes e senior citizens considered themselves healthy, they had a variety of ailments in their medical history, diminished vibration sensation and a high prevalence of vestibular asymmetry, Age per se was not a deter minant factor in any of the findings, The study suggests that interest should also be directed to the status of sensation in the legs and ve stibular asymmetry when assessing balance function in the elderly, Fur thermore, the term ''age concomitant'' may be more appropriate than '' age dependent'' when describing decrements of functions such as postur al control in elderly subjects.