Age-Related Decline of Vision, Hearing, and Balance: Pathophysiology and Midlife Prevention

Abstract

The present chapter discuss the complex pathophysiological mechanisms of the sensory decline affecting vision, hearing and balance complex physiological mechanisms are stressed in this chapter. Even if a system dysfunction is more clinically apparent than the others, all the age-related changes started at midlife whatever the existence or not of a genetic predisposition. These changes are exacerbated by multiple general or more specific extrinsic risk factors. These midlife age-related sensory changes are not enough investigated while an adequate prevention could have an enormous impact on the daily life at the old age: decreased mobility disorders and fall, better hearing, reduced dizziness feeling, less cognitive disorders, and indeed improved activity of daily life and quality of life.