# Elucidating links between vestibular function, cognition, and sensorimotor behavior

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · 2023 · $92,098

## Abstract

Every year, nearly 25-50% of older adults fall. However, fall prevention efforts are not uniformly
effective and factors contributing to fall risk are not completely understood. The vestibular system,
part of the inner ear, is a known contributor to fall risk and recent evidence suggests that cognition
may interact with vestibular function to influence falls. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) fall
2-3 times more than cognitively healthy adults and those with vestibular dysfunction exhibit
changes in cognition. However, these relationships have not been fully elucidated. As the
vestibular system is diverse, identifying which functional pathways (i.e., reflexive, perceptual,
visual-vestibular integration) are related to both cognition and imbalance is vital for development
of targeted interventions to reduce falls. The specific aims examine the extent to which vestibular
function is associated with sensorimotor behaviors (balance and falls) in AD (Aim 1a) and the
extent to which cognition is associated with sensorimotor behaviors in adults with vestibular loss
(Aim 1b). Explicit comparisons between those with AD and vestibular loss will also be made (Aim
1c) in order to determine potential similarities and inform ongoing fall prevention interventions in
these patient populations. Existing measures will be combined with novel laboratory techniques
in order to directly inform clinical practice and elucidate fundamental mechanisms underlying fall
risk. The K01 award period will enable the PI to build upon her existing clinical and research
expertise in vestibular science and provide structured training in the following areas: a) aging, b)
cognition and cognitive impairment, c) advanced techniques for assessment of balance and gait,
and d) advanced techniques for measuring eye movements. Research and training experiences
during this award period will help the PI become an independent researcher in vestibular
physiology. The proposed work will take place at University of Arizona under the mentorship of
Dr. Dan Merfeld and Dr. Yuri Agrawal in conjunction with subject area specific mentorship from
leaders in their respective fields. The proposed training activities and research plan are consistent
with the NIDCD’s strategic plan for research in balance, specifically addressing current
understanding of self-motion perception in health and disease and factors contributing to
imbalance and falls in older adults. The proposed training will be the foundation for future R01
applications using advanced vestibular assessment techniques to examine changes in sensory
function related to diverse pathologies and relationships to postural control.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11014243
- **Project number:** 7K01DC021147-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
- **Principal Investigator:** Megan Kobel
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $92,098
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2023-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11014243

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11014243, Elucidating links between vestibular function, cognition, and sensorimotor behavior (7K01DC021147-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11014243. Licensed CC0.

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