Abstract

Maturation of balance control continues through at least 10 years of age. Maturation brings faster and shorter duration responses, and reduced variability, resulting in smaller sway amplitudes. There are ignificant changes in both time constant and gain of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in respect to development. The VOR time constant increases while the gain decreases as a logarithmic function of age. The lengthening of the VOR time constant with increasing age may be due to increasing reverberation through rainstem reticular formation feedback loop. The large VOR gain in children may be ascribed to immaturity of the inhibitory regulation system of the VOR. Key Words : Vestibulo-ocular reflex, Posture, Development