Vestibular Perceptual Learning for Healthy Aging
This study is looking at how different types of training, called Roll Tilt Training, Translation Training, or a combination of Both Tilt and Translation Training, can improve your sense of balance and how you perceive movement. Participants will be gently tilted or moved and asked to say which direction they felt they moved. You'll get feedback to help you learn. There's also a Placebo Control group that will do home exercises not related to balance. We're looking for healthy adults aged 65 to 89 who can stand and don't have certain medical conditions. The study aims to see if these training methods can improve your perception of movement and your balance.
- Study design
- This interventional study will include 30 healthy older adults, aged 65-89. Participants will be divided into groups to receive different types of training or a placebo.
- What's involved
- You will participate in assessments and training sessions over approximately 45 days. This includes a pre-test, training sessions (100 repetitions on Day 1, 400 repetitions on Days 2-7), and post-test assessments.
- Compensation
- Not stated in the trial record.
- Follow-up
- Your balance and perception of movement will be measured on specific days throughout the 45-day study period.
AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.
Effect of Vestibular Perceptual Learning on Vestibular Thresholds and Balance
At a glance
Conditions
Where it's being run
1 sites across 1 statesStudy leadership
- Daniel M Merfeld, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Ohio State University
Who to contact
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Do you actually qualify for this trial?
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Inclusion
Exclusion
What this trial measures
- Change in Vestibular Roll Tilt Perceptual ThresholdsIntervention First Group: Days 1, 8, 15, 38, 45; Placebo First Group: Days 1, 8, 15, 22, 45
Vestibular perceptual thresholds will be measured using forced-choice methodologies; such methods have been used extensively. Passive, whole body tilts will be delivered using a Moog motion platform. Subjects will be tilted in one of two directions (e.g., towards the left or right) in complete darkness and asked to report their perceived direction of motion. All subjects will be seated in a chair with a 5-point harness. The head will be restrained by a standard motorcycle helmet. Insert earbuds will be worn, reducing external noise by about 20 decibels (dB). To mask potential auditory directionality cues, auditory "noise" - uncorrelated with motion (amplitude, direction, or type) - will be applied at 65 dB sound pressure level (SPL). Motion stimuli will consist of single cycles of sinusoidal acceleration using published methods.
- Change in Vestibular Translation Perceptual ThresholdsIntervention First Group: Days 1, 8, 15, 38, 45; Placebo First Group: Days 1, 8, 15, 22, 45
Vestibular perceptual thresholds will be measured using forced-choice methodologies; such methods have been used extensively. Passive, whole body inter-aural translations will be delivered using a Moog motion platform. Subjects will be translated in one of two directions (e.g., towards the left or right) in complete darkness and asked to report their perceived direction of motion. All subjects will be seated in a chair with a 5-point harness. The head will be restrained by a standard motorcycle helmet. Insert earbuds will be worn, reducing external noise by about 20 decibel (dB); to mask potential auditory directionality cues, auditory "noise" - uncorrelated with motion (amplitude, direction, or type) - will be applied at 65 dB sound pressure level (SPL). Motion stimuli will consist of single cycles of sinusoidal acceleration using published methods.
- Change in the Postural Sway During the Modified Romberg Balance TestIntervention First Group: Days 1, 8, 15, 38, 45; Placebo First Group: Days 1, 8, 15, 22, 45
Static stance will be measured using a tri-axial force plate; postural sway will be measured in response to balance challenges including: (1) standing either on a foam or firm surface, (2) with the eyes either open or closed, and (3) with the feet together or in tandem. The center of pressure (COP) root-mean-square-distance will serve as the primary outcome measure describing postural sway.
- Change in Postural Sway during the Sensory Organization TestIntervention First Group: Days 1, 8, 15, 38, 45; Placebo First Group: Days 1, 8, 15, 22, 45
The Sensory Organization Test (SOT) is a standard clinical and research assessment used to quantify quiet stance postural sway in the presence of unreliable visual and proprioceptive feedback. The conditions of the test include (1) eyes open firm surface, 2) eyes closed firm surface, 3) sway referenced vision firm surface, 4) eyes open sway referenced platform, 5) eyes closed sway referenced platform, 6) sway referenced visual surround and platform. Sway-referencing describes a technique used to alter the reliability of proprioceptive and/or visual inputs by tilting the support surface or visual surround to follow the displacement of the CoP. Center of pressure data will be collected in each condition using a tri-axial force plate; each condition will be repeated three times, for 20 seconds each. The root mean square displacement (RMSD) of the CoP will be calculated for each trial, using the median of three trials as the primary outcome.
- Change in Postural Sway during Perturbed BalanceIntervention First Group: Days 1, 8, 15, 38, 45; Placebo First Group: Days 1, 8, 15, 22, 45
Our perturbed balance test is a research assessment that we have developed to quantify postural sway in response to motion perturbations of the support surface. Vision will always be occluded (e.g., blindfolded). Forces and torques at the support surface will be quantified. Each trial will take about four minutes to complete and will be repeated three times. The root mean square displacement (RMSD) of the center of pressure (CoP) will be calculated for each trial, as will the gain at each perturbation frequency, using the median of three trials as the outcome variable.