MRI Study of Self-Perception of Postural Stability

This study will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine loss of balance in the elderly. Falls due to balance problems are a major health issue in older people, often resulting in bone fractures and other bodily injuries, and in functional decline. Risk factors for falling in the elderly include some standing positions in which older people usually experience balance problems, such as leaning forwards or backwards. Functional MRI records brain function while the subject performs a task, such as moving a limb or speaking, and detects changes in the brain regions involved in those tasks. This study will look at different brain areas to see which areas might control what people see around them while they are standing. Healthy normal volunteers between 20 and 90 years of age may be eligible for this study. Candidates must be in good health, have no difficulties in performing activities of daily living, and be able to walk for at least 400 meters (1/4 mile). They will be screened with a medical history and physical examination. Participants will undergo functional MRI while performing visual recognition tasks in two experiments, described below. For the MRI procedure, the subject lies in the MRI scanner, a narrow metal cylinder containing a strong magnet, for 20 minutes to 3 hours, with most scans lasting between 45 and 90 minutes. The experiments are as follows: Experiment 1 During MRI scanning, the subject watches computer-generated movies of a person leaning forwards and backwards. When the subject recognizes an unstable body position in the movements, he or she presses a computer mouse. Experiment 2 During MRI scanning, the subject watches still pictures of people leaning in stable and unstable postures and presses a button as soon as he or she recognizes that the posture is unstable.