In young and elderly, this study will 1) determine the relationship between postural control and attentional resource allocation; 2) investigate the dynamics of attentional and postural control during balance recovery and 3) investigate the effect of increasing attentional resource allocation on postural control during balance recovery. Within three experiments, postural stability, attentional resource allocation, and their interaction will be measured under conditions of varying postural challenge in both young and elderly populations. Postural challenge will be varied through support surface and or visual scene manipulations. Attentional resource allocation will be probed by having subjects perform attentional tasks (simple reaction time and inhibition reaction time tasks) concurrent with assessment of postural stability during 5 different postural tasks. The results of this project will lead to a better understanding of the relation between attention and postural control that will better explain the decline in balance and increase in falls in the elderly and suggest new strategies to prevent falls.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01AG014116-01
Application #
2002047
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG4-GRM (01))
Project Start
1997-01-01
Project End
2000-12-31
Budget Start
1997-01-01
Budget End
1997-12-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Otolaryngology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
053785812
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Redfern, Mark S; Chambers, April J; Jennings, J Richard et al. (2017) Sensory and motoric influences on attention dynamics during standing balance recovery in young and older adults. Exp Brain Res 235:2523-2531
Fuhrman, Susan I; Redfern, Mark S; Jennings, J Richard et al. (2015) Interference between postural control and spatial vs. non-spatial auditory reaction time tasks in older adults. J Vestib Res 25:47-55
Nunley, Karen A; Ryan, Christopher M; Orchard, Trevor J et al. (2015) White matter hyperintensities in middle-aged adults with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes. Neurology 84:2062-9
Jennings, J Richard; Mendelson, David N; Redfern, Mark S et al. (2011) Detecting age differences in resistance to perceptual and motor interference. Exp Aging Res 37:179-97
Mendelson, David N; Redfern, Mark S; Nebes, Robert D et al. (2010) Inhibitory processes relate differently to balance/reaction time dual tasks in young and older adults. Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn 17:1-18
Redfern, Mark S; Jennings, J Richard; Mendelson, David et al. (2009) Perceptual inhibition is associated with sensory integration in standing postural control among older adults. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 64:569-76
Ward, Bryan K; Redfern, Mark S; Jennings, J Richard et al. (2008) The influence of cognitive tasks on vestibular-induced eye movements in young and older adults. J Vestib Res 18:187-95
Muller, Martijn L T M; Redfern, Mark S; Jennings, J Richard (2007) Postural prioritization defines the interaction between a reaction time task and postural perturbations. Exp Brain Res 183:447-56
Landgraff, Nancy C; Whitney, Susan L; Rubinstein, Elaine N et al. (2006) Use of the physical performance test to assess preclinical disability in subjects with asymptomatic carotid artery disease. Phys Ther 86:541-8
Whitney, Susan L; Sparto, Patrick J; Hodges, Larry F et al. (2006) Responses to a virtual reality grocery store in persons with and without vestibular dysfunction. Cyberpsychol Behav 9:152-6

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