Associations Between Vestibular Perception and Cognitive Performance in Healthy Adults.
Megan J Kobel, Andrew R Wagner, Daniel M Merfeld
PMID 39506197WHAT IT FOUND
In healthy adults, poorer performance on speed and flexibility tests was linked to higher thresholds for sensing vertical head movement.
This suggests age-related decline in otolith function may track with cognitive slowing, even without diagnosed vestibular loss.
Key findings
01Higher thresholds for sensing vertical translation (z-translation) were significantly associated with worse performance on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test and Trail Making Test B.
02Worse performance on the Gait Disorientation Test (path integration) was associated with higher thresholds for sensing lateral translation (y-translation).
03Age was significantly correlated with declines in all vestibular perceptual measures except yaw rotation, and with declines in cognitive test scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that vestibular decline causes cognitive decline. The sample was highly educated and healthy, which may not represent the general aging population. Hearing loss was not measured or controlled for, despite its known link to both cognition and vestibular function. Traditional reflexive vestibular tests (like VEMPs or vHIT) were not performed, so perceptual findings cannot be directly compared to standard clinical diagnostics. Six participants could not complete the vertical canal tilt tests due to equipment limits, reducing the sample size for those specific analyses.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that treating vestibular perception will improve cognition. This study shows an association in healthy adults, not a causal link, and does not test any intervention.