Effects of Aging on Eye Movements of Vestibular Origin

Oculomotor function is known to deteriorate with age, but most clearly only for smooth pursuit (SP) eye movements. Aft though labyrinthine structures are known to progressively deteriorate with age (estimated 4 0 % loss by the 9th decade), a corresponding decline in performance of the vestibule-ocular reflex (VOR) remains elusive. This may be because: a) studies have not challenged the VOR sufficiently; and b) adaptive phenomena offset vestibular deficits. However, adaptive mechanisms may also decline with aging.