Age-related changes of vergence under natural viewing conditions

Holger Rambold*, Gunnar Neumann, Thurid Sander, Christoph Helmchen

*Corresponding author for this work
    30 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Vergence eye movements were recorded with the scleral search-coil system in 32 healthy subjects (ages 19-73 years) to characterize the age-related effects on the dynamic parameters of vergence responses to step (transient components) and ramp or sinusoidal targets (sustained components) under natural viewing conditions. Transient vergence showed an age-related increase in latency and decreases in peak velocity and acceleration in the binocular stimulus condition but not in accommodative vergence. Sustained vergence showed no age-related effect in the binocular condition, but there was an age-related decrease in accommodative vergence steady-state velocity and an increase in latency. Age-related changes of the transient and sustained components were very similar to those reported for saccades and smooth pursuit; they thus might support a distinction between a sustained and transient vergence system. Furthermore, such age-related effects have to be taken into account when assessing eye movement disorders in neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases.

    Original languageEnglish
    JournalNeurobiology of Aging
    Volume27
    Issue number1
    Pages (from-to)163-172
    Number of pages10
    ISSN0197-4580
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 01.01.2006

    Research Areas and Centers

    • Academic Focus: Center for Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM)

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