Neural connectivity and multisensory integration in balance control: age-related structural and functional adaptations

Aging commonly leads to balance problems, yet the neural processes driving this decline remain unclear. Recent structural, resting-state, and EEG combined with virtual reality studies suggest that age-related instability stems from reduced flexibility in combining visual, vestibular, and somatosensory cues rather than from losses in any single system. These findings indicate that diminished neural adaptability is a key contributor to balance impairment and point toward specific network-level mechanisms that future interventions may target.