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Delays in auditory-cued step initiation are related to increased volume of white matter hyperintensities in older adults

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Abstract

An increased volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on MRI has been associated with mobility impairments in older adults. The objective of this preliminary study was to investigate the relationship between the volume of WMH and the delays in auditory-cued step initiation. Eight subjects aged 75–83 years participated. The WMH volume in the corticospinal tracts and anterior thalamic radiations were summed. Subjects performed an auditory-cued stepping task that included two simple reaction time (SRT) trials and three choice reaction time (CRT) trials. SRT trials required subjects to step as quickly as possible with the right foot from a symmetric standing position to a single target position in response to an auditory stimulus. For the CRT trials, subjects stepped as quickly as possible to one of two possible locations, depending on the auditory stimulus. The time from the stimulus onset to the reaction time of the anticipatory postural adjustment (APART) and liftoff (LO) of the right foot was computed for each stimulus. The mean APART and LO were greater for the CRT steps compared with the SRT steps to the same location. Increases in WMH were significantly associated with larger APART and LO during both SRT and CRT for both target locations. These data suggest that increased volume of WMH is associated with greater central processing time during voluntary step initiation, and highlight a possible mechanism that can help to explain how damage to white matter tracts affects mobility in older adults.

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Acknowledgment

This research was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (P30 AG024827, P30 DC005205) and the Eye and Ear Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, 6035 Forbes Tower, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA

    Patrick J. Sparto & Jessie M. VanSwearingen

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Howard J. Aizenstein

  3. Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Caterina Rosano

  4. Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Subashan Perera & Stephanie A. Studenski

  5. Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Joseph M. Furman

  6. Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Mark S. Redfern

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  1. Patrick J. Sparto
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Correspondence to Patrick J. Sparto.

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Sparto, P.J., Aizenstein, H.J., VanSwearingen, J.M. et al. Delays in auditory-cued step initiation are related to increased volume of white matter hyperintensities in older adults. Exp Brain Res 188, 633–640 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-008-1443-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-008-1443-4

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