Clinical evidence for the ageing of the peripheral vestibular organ?

The ageing process of hearing is well known. Age-dependent normative data a re established for pure tone audiometry. It seems logical to suppose that t he peripheral vestibular system undergoes a similar ageing process. To supp ort this hypothesis we investigated subjects aged 50-82 with presbyacusis d emonstrated by pure tone audiometry. Asymmetry of the peripheral vestibular system was ruled out by symmetrical thermal excitation rate. Slow-phase ve locity of nystagmus induced by rotating-chair stimulation was compared with pure tone audiometry. We found no significant correlation and thus our app roach failed to bear out the hypothesis.