The effects of aging on the subjective vertical in the frontal plane in healthy adults.
Kazuhiro Fukata, Kazu Amimoto, Yuji Fujino and 5 others
PMID 29200631WHAT IT FOUND
Average perceived vertical tilt did not differ between healthy younger and older adults.
Older adults were less consistent judging postural vertical, and their tilt followed the starting side more strongly.
Key findings
01The average tilt direction of perceived vertical did not differ between young and elderly adults for subjective visual vertical or seated postural vertical with eyes open or closed.
02Elderly adults had greater variability in seated postural vertical with eyes open and closed, but not in subjective visual vertical.
03Seated postural vertical tilted in the starting direction, and the elderly group showed a significant starting-direction bias.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 13 young adults and 13 elderly adults, so the age difference may not be stable. Participants were healthy adults with no neurological disease, no dementia, and no history of falls, so the results do not describe patients with stroke or balance disorders. The groups were 22-30 years and 60-74 years, leaving adults aged 40-59 unexamined. All tests were done seated with the trunk fixed, so the results do not show verticality perception while standing or during functional tasks.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest, and no financial support was received for the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that older adults lean consistently to one side. The average tilt direction was not different between groups; the age difference was in variability and in the way the perceived upright followed the starting side.