Surreal illustration of the connection between brain, sensory input, and balance in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's and Balance: How Vision and Hearing Affect Stability

Kai Mendoza in Health & Wellness June 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research sheds light on how sensory systems impact postural control in Alzheimer's disease, offering insights into fall prevention."

Maintaining balance is something most of us take for granted, but it's a complex process. Our bodies rely on a constant stream of information from our senses – sight, sound, and touch – to stay upright and move with confidence. This information is processed by the central nervous system (CNS), which then coordinates muscle movements to keep us stable.

For individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), this intricate system can be disrupted. AD is a neurodegenerative disease that affects cognitive function and motor control. Balance problems and falls are a common and serious concern for people with AD, leading to injuries and reduced quality of life. Researchers are working to understand exactly how AD affects balance and what can be done to help.

A recent study investigated the roles of vision and hearing in postural stability among individuals with AD. By examining how these sensory systems contribute to balance, the researchers hoped to identify potential strategies for improving stability and reducing the risk of falls.

The Role of Vision and Hearing in Postural Stability

Surreal illustration of the connection between brain, sensory input, and balance in Alzheimer's disease.

The study, led by Miguel F. Gago and colleagues, compared postural stability in 24 patients with AD and 24 healthy, age-matched individuals. Participants underwent kinematic postural analysis, which involved measuring their body's movements using inertial measurement units placed at their center of mass. They were tested under four different conditions:

Standing with eyes open (EO)
Standing with eyes closed (EC)
Standing with eyes open and auditory suppression (EOAS) – using ear defenders to block background noise
Standing with eyes closed and auditory suppression (ECAS)

Visual Suppression: In both groups, closing the eyes (visual suppression) had a negative impact on postural stability, increasing sway.
Auditory Suppression: Blocking background noise, surprisingly, benefited postural stability in both groups.
Combined Effects: The positive effect of auditory suppression was not enough to compensate for the negative effect of visual suppression, especially in the AD group.

The study highlights the complex interplay between sensory systems in maintaining balance. While vision is often considered the primary sense for balance, the findings suggest that hearing also plays a significant role. The ability to filter out irrelevant auditory information may be crucial for maintaining stability, particularly when visual input is limited.

Implications for Fall Prevention

These findings have important implications for fall prevention strategies in individuals with Alzheimer's disease. By understanding how vision and hearing contribute to balance, healthcare professionals can develop targeted interventions to improve stability and reduce the risk of falls. For example, environmental modifications to reduce background noise or enhance visual cues may be beneficial. Further research is needed to explore the potential of auditory-based interventions, such as auditory biofeedback, to improve balance in individuals with AD.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.3233/jad-150131, Alternate LINK

Title: Role Of The Visual And Auditory Systems In Postural Stability In Alzheimer’S Disease

Subject: Psychiatry and Mental health

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

Publisher: IOS Press

Authors: Miguel F. Gago, Vítor Fernandes, Jaime Ferreira, Darya Yelshyna, Hélder David Silva, Maria Lurdes Rodrigues, Luís Rocha, Estela Bicho, Nuno Sousa

Published: 2015-05-30

Everything You Need To Know

How does the Central Nervous System (CNS) relate to balance and Alzheimer's disease (AD)?

The Central Nervous System (CNS) processes sensory information, including sight, sound, and touch, to coordinate muscle movements and maintain stability. In the context of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the CNS's ability to process and integrate this sensory data is disrupted, leading to balance problems. This disruption contributes to postural instability and increases the risk of falls for individuals with AD.

How do vision and hearing affect balance?

Vision and hearing are crucial sensory inputs for maintaining balance. In a study, individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy individuals were tested on their ability to maintain balance under various conditions. The study found that closing the eyes (visual suppression) negatively impacted postural stability, increasing sway in both groups. However, blocking background noise (auditory suppression) surprisingly improved stability in both groups. The findings highlight the complex interplay between the sensory systems and its importance in balance.

What impact did auditory suppression have on the participants?

Auditory suppression, or blocking background noise, surprisingly improved balance in both the Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the control groups. This suggests that the ability to filter out irrelevant auditory information is important for maintaining stability. This finding highlights the role of hearing in postural stability. However, in people with AD, the combined effects of visual suppression and auditory suppression showed that the positive effects of auditory suppression were not enough to overcome the negative impacts of visual suppression.

What does postural stability mean and how was it measured in the study?

Postural stability refers to the ability to maintain balance while standing or moving. It is a complex process involving sensory inputs (sight, sound, and touch), the Central Nervous System (CNS), and coordinated muscle movements. Researchers used kinematic postural analysis, which involved measuring participants body movements using inertial measurement units, to study this. This analysis helped in understanding how sensory inputs impact postural stability in the context of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

What are the implications of these findings for fall prevention?

The implications for fall prevention involve developing targeted interventions based on how vision and hearing contribute to balance. Healthcare professionals could implement environmental modifications to reduce background noise or enhance visual cues. Future research could explore auditory-based interventions, such as auditory biofeedback, to improve balance in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). These strategies aim to improve stability and reduce the risk of falls, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for those affected by AD.