Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

Objectives. To investigate whether sensory function declines independently or in parallel with age within a single individual. Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) participants who underwent vision (visual acuity threshold), proprioception (ankle joint pr...

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Main Authors: Shekhar K. Gadkaree, Daniel Q. Sun, Carol Li, Frank R. Lin, Luigi Ferrucci, Eleanor M. Simonsick, Yuri Agrawal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Journal of Aging Research
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1865038
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author Shekhar K. Gadkaree
Daniel Q. Sun
Carol Li
Frank R. Lin
Luigi Ferrucci
Eleanor M. Simonsick
Yuri Agrawal
author_facet Shekhar K. Gadkaree
Daniel Q. Sun
Carol Li
Frank R. Lin
Luigi Ferrucci
Eleanor M. Simonsick
Yuri Agrawal
author_sort Shekhar K. Gadkaree
collection DOAJ
description Objectives. To investigate whether sensory function declines independently or in parallel with age within a single individual. Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) participants who underwent vision (visual acuity threshold), proprioception (ankle joint proprioceptive threshold), vestibular function (cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential), hearing (pure-tone average audiometric threshold), and Health ABC physical performance battery testing. Results. A total of 276 participants (mean age 70 years, range 26–93) underwent all four sensory tests. The function of all four systems declined with age. After age adjustment, there were no significant associations between sensory systems. Among 70–79-year-olds, dual or triple sensory impairment was associated with poorer physical performance. Discussion. Our findings suggest that beyond the common mechanism of aging, other distinct (nonshared) etiologic mechanisms may contribute to decline in each sensory system. Multiple sensory impairments influence physical performance among individuals in middle old-age (age 70–79).
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publishDate 2016-01-01
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series Journal of Aging Research
spelling doaj-art-5eb098d55d5d4cfdb98f0789a9ba037b2025-08-20T02:05:10ZengWileyJournal of Aging Research2090-22042090-22122016-01-01201610.1155/2016/18650381865038Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of AgingShekhar K. Gadkaree0Daniel Q. Sun1Carol Li2Frank R. Lin3Luigi Ferrucci4Eleanor M. Simonsick5Yuri Agrawal6Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USANational Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USANational Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USAObjectives. To investigate whether sensory function declines independently or in parallel with age within a single individual. Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) participants who underwent vision (visual acuity threshold), proprioception (ankle joint proprioceptive threshold), vestibular function (cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential), hearing (pure-tone average audiometric threshold), and Health ABC physical performance battery testing. Results. A total of 276 participants (mean age 70 years, range 26–93) underwent all four sensory tests. The function of all four systems declined with age. After age adjustment, there were no significant associations between sensory systems. Among 70–79-year-olds, dual or triple sensory impairment was associated with poorer physical performance. Discussion. Our findings suggest that beyond the common mechanism of aging, other distinct (nonshared) etiologic mechanisms may contribute to decline in each sensory system. Multiple sensory impairments influence physical performance among individuals in middle old-age (age 70–79).http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1865038
spellingShingle Shekhar K. Gadkaree
Daniel Q. Sun
Carol Li
Frank R. Lin
Luigi Ferrucci
Eleanor M. Simonsick
Yuri Agrawal
Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
Journal of Aging Research
title Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
title_full Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
title_fullStr Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
title_full_unstemmed Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
title_short Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
title_sort does sensory function decline independently or concomitantly with age data from the baltimore longitudinal study of aging
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1865038
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