AGING EFFECTS UPON PURSUIT EYE-MOVEMENTS

Quantitative assessment of aging effects upon pursuit eye movements was done in step-ramp stimulus conditions using 32 normal individuals. Eye movements were recorded with infrared reflection oculography. The target was a spot of 0.5 degrees red lazar light. The light spot was blanked for 5 ms while the mirror galvanometer moved to a new position. Eye and target position were sampled at 250 Hz and analysed by a personal computer. In onward stimulation in which 2 degrees, 4 degrees, 6 degrees and 8 degrees position steps were followed by fixed ramp speed (10 degrees/s), and also in backward stimulation in which 2 degrees, 4 degrees, 6 degrees step positions were followed by 9 degrees, 17 degrees and 27 degrees/s, eye acceleration increased depending upon increases of retinal slip velocity in the younger group below 49 years. Among the factors effecting aging effects, the cerebrum might be important because visual recognition and eye acceleration are performed in the parietal lobe.