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Is inefficient multisensory processing associated with falls in older people?

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Abstract

Although falling is a significant problem for older persons, little is understood about its underlying causes. Spatial cognition and balance maintenance rely on the efficient integration of information across the main senses. We investigated general multisensory efficiency in older persons with a history of falls compared to age- and sensory acuity-matched controls and younger adults using a sound-induced flash illusion. Older fallers were as susceptible to the illusion as age-matched, non-fallers or younger adults at a short delay of 70 ms between the auditory and visual stimuli. Both older adult groups were more susceptible to the illusion at longer SOAs than younger adults. However, with increasing delays between the visual and auditory stimuli, older fallers did not show a decline in the frequency at which the illusion was experienced even with delays of up to 270 ms. We argue that this relatively higher susceptibility to the illusion reflects inefficient audio–visual processing in the central nervous system and has important implications for the diagnosis and rehabilitation of falling in older persons.

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Notes

  1. Interestingly, in line with previous research [e.g. Laurienti et al. 2006] we found a benefit for congruent multisensory over uni-sensory stimulation on performance in the older fall-prone adults only [F(2.45) = 5.08, P < 0.05].

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Acknowledgments

This research was completed as part of a wider programme of research within the TRIL Centre, (Technology Research for Independent Living). The TRIL Centre is a multidisciplinary research centre, bringing together researchers from UCD, TCD, NUIG & Intel, funded by Intel, IDA Ireland and GE Healthcare. http://www.trilcentre.org

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The authors have no conflict of interest to report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, Lloyd Building, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Annalisa Setti, Kate E. Burke & Fiona N. Newell

  2. Department of Medical Gerontology, Institute of Neuroscience, Lloyd Building, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Rose Anne Kenny

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  1. Annalisa Setti
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  2. Kate E. Burke
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  3. Rose Anne Kenny
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  4. Fiona N. Newell
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Correspondence to Fiona N. Newell.

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Setti, A., Burke, K.E., Kenny, R.A. et al. Is inefficient multisensory processing associated with falls in older people?. Exp Brain Res 209, 375–384 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-011-2560-z

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