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Vestibular Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease and Fall Prevention

This study is testing if vestibular physical therapy (exercises involving head movements) can reduce falls in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). You may be able to join if you are at least 60 years old, have a diagnosis of AD, and have impaired vestibular (inner ear balance) responses. Participants will either receive vestibular physical therapy or active control (strength and flexibility exercises without head movements). The main goal is to see how many falls participants have over one year. The study is currently unclear about its recruitment status and plans to enroll 100 people.

Study design
This is an interventional study that aims to enroll 100 participants. It compares vestibular physical therapy to active control exercises.
What's involved
Participants will receive either vestibular physical therapy or active control exercises over a course of 8 weeks. Falls will be measured for 1 year.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for one year to measure the number of falls.

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NCT03799991

Vestibular Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease

Recruiting
NAAges 60+InterventionalTreatment
Johns Hopkins University
~100 participants
Updated 2026-01-12 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Vestibular physical therapyActive control

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Number of participant falls
Measured over 1 year

Conditions

Vestibular Diseases
Vestibular Disorder
Alzheimer Disease

Explore related trials

Alzheimer's DiseaseVestibular disorder

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Maryland1

Study leadership

  • Yuri Agrawal, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Johns Hopkins University

Who to contact

Yuri Agrawal, MD
[email protected]
4105023107
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Diagnosis of AD based on the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer Association 2011 criteria that is mild-moderate (CDR=0.5-2).
Age ≥ 60 years.
Vestibular loss defined as bilaterally impaired vestibular responses (semicircular canal or otolith responses).
Able to participate in study procedures including vestibular physiologic testing, balance and gait assessment, neurocognitive testing, and VT or active control.
Able to give informed consent, as further detailed in the Human Subjects section. The investigators anticipate that individuals who are too impaired to provide informed consent would also not be able to effectively participate in VT or active control.
Presence of a caregiver, defined as an individual who spends at least 10 hours per week with the patient. The caregiver must be able to participate in study procedures, specifically the text-messaging system. Both the VT and active control involve 8 weeks of once weekly visits and daily home exercises, and the investigators believe a caregiver would increase the likelihood of successful completion of either therapy.

Exclusion

Diagnosis of severe AD (CDR≥3).
Diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or diagnosis of non-AD dementia, for example Parkinson's disease dementia, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, vascular dementia, fronto-temporal dementia, and primary progressive aphasia.
Deemed unable to participate in study procedures and VT or active control, (e.g. patients with significant medical comorbidities, excessive agitation, or use of mobility aids such as a cane or walker.)
Use of daily vestibular suppressant medications, specifically anti-histamines and benzodiazepines, as this can alter the response to VT.
Lack of availability to participate in 8 weeks of VT or active control.

What this trial measures

  • Number of participant falls1 year

    Incidence of falls over a 1-year follow-up period