Lateral acceleration threshold detection in young adults and healthy elderly

Six neurologically intact adults (3 young adults <35 years and 3 elderly adults >50 yrs) were recruited to determine their acceleration detection threshold at three different lateral perturbation lengths (1, 4, and 16 mm). Using an optimized two alternative forced choice test, a parameter-estimation-by-sequential-testing technique varied acceleration according to the previous response of the subject until a threshold of detection was reached. Thresholds were compared among displacements and between young and elder adults. Results indicated that young adults had similar thresholds for all displacements, while elder adults had significantly higher accelerations at the 1 mm displacement. Elders performed similarly to the young adults at the 4 and 16 mm displacements. This indicates that aging may influence the sensory capabilities of elders, especially at small displacements.