Vertigo and imbalance in the elderly.

The diagnosis of vestibular disorders causing dizziness and imbalance in the elderly can present a difficult problem. Knowledgeable diagnosis depends on an understanding of the role of the vestibular end-organs as motion sensors and sensors of gravity as well as an understanding of how the vestibular system influences body balance and how visual mechanisms interact with the vestibular system. Based on a knowledge of these physiological principles, a number of interesting aspects of age-related vestibular disorders are discussed in more detail.