Correlation of functional head impulse test response with age

In this study, it was aimed to determine the correlation of the percentage of correct answers (PCA) obtained by functional head impulse test (fHIT) with age variable in healthy individuals. A total of 105 volunteer individuals, including 50 men and 55 women the ages of 18 - 70, participated in this study. Individuals who were healthy as a result of audiological and vestibular evaluation were included in the study. Beon Solution, Zero Branco (TV), Italian fHIT system were used in the study. In our study, a decrease in the total average PCA was observed with the age increase in all semicircular canals (SCCs). Statistically significant negative and moderate (-0.311) and negative and low correlations (-0.257) were obtained in lateral SCC and posterior SCC, respectively (p<0.05). No statistically significant relationship was observed between age and average PCA in anterior SCC (p>0.05). When examined between age groups, it was statistically significant that the average PCA of the 36-54 age group was higher than the average PCA of the 55-70 age group in all three SCCs (p<0.05). The average PCA in the 18-35 age group was significantly higher than the average PCA in the 55-70 age group in the lateral and posterior SCCs (p<0.05). On the other hand, the average PCA in the 18-35 age group in the anterior SCC was significantly higher than the average PCA in the 55-70 age (p>0.05). The difference between the average PCA in the 18-35 age group and the average PCA in the 36-54 age group was not statistically significant in all three SCCs (p>0.05). In the lateral, anterior and posterior SCCs, head acceleration increased from 1000 °/s2 to 7000 °/s2 and a decrease in PCA was observed in all SCCs. fHIT is an easily applicable test battery that indirectly evaluates the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) from a functional perspective. The fHIT device, whose mechanism is based on indirect measurement of VOR functionality over PCA, helps to obtain faster and safer results in diagnosis and rehabilitation processes when it is combined with other test batteries. In our study, where we examined the relationship of fHIT values with age, a decrease in average PCA was observed in all SCCs, reflecting VOR from a functional point of view with an increase in age. This study will also be an important guide for comparing studies in various patient groups and determining pathological results from a functional point of view. Key words: Age; functional head impulse test (fHIT); semi-circular canal; VOR (Proje No: KA19/384)