Biomaterial Database

Threshold and suprathreshold spatiotemporal response throughout adulthood. 1988

U Tulunay-Keesey, and J N Ver Hoeve, and C Terkla-McGrane

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53706.

The effect of age on spatiotemporal contrast sensitivity at both threshold and suprathreshold levels was studied in 63 adults ranging in age from 13 to 67 years. Sensitivity for low spatial frequencies modulated at 0 to 15 Hz was not affected by age, but a progressive age-related elevation of threshold was found for combinations of high spatial and temporal frequencies. The magnitude of the effect ascribed to age on spatial frequency was larger than the effect of age on temporal frequency. For most combinations of spatial and temporal frequencies, elevation of thresholds started at approximately 45 years of age. No age-related effects were observed in a contrast-matching task performed at suprathreshold levels.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000375	Aging	The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time.	Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
D012684	Sensory Thresholds	The minimum amount of stimulus energy necessary to elicit a sensory response.	Sensory Threshold,Threshold, Sensory,Thresholds, Sensory
D013028	Space Perception	The awareness of the spatial properties of objects; includes physical space.	Perception, Space,Perceptions, Space,Space Perceptions
D015350	Contrast Sensitivity	The ability to detect sharp boundaries (stimuli) and to detect slight changes in luminance at regions without distinct contours. Psychophysical measurements of this visual function are used to evaluate VISUAL ACUITY and to detect eye disease.	Visual Contrast Sensitivity,Sensitivity, Contrast,Sensitivity, Visual Contrast