Subthreshold Vestibular Stimulation for Balance and Motion Perception
This study is testing if a treatment called Subthreshold Vestibular Conditioning can improve balance and how you perceive motion. It also looks at whether combining this conditioning with Balance Training is more effective. Researchers want to see if these methods can help people with Vestibular Hypofunction (a condition affecting your balance system) and healthy individuals. Success would mean improvements in your balance control and how well you sense motion. You might be able to join if you are between 19 and 89 years old and have certain types of vestibular hypofunction, which will be checked by specific tests like video head impulse testing. The current status of this study is unclear.
- Study design
- This study plans to enroll 48 participants, including those with vestibular hypofunction and healthy controls. It is an interventional study, meaning participants will receive specific treatments.
- What's involved
- You would complete four visits to the laboratory. During these visits, you would undergo interventions like sitting on a motion platform blindfolded for vestibular conditioning or standing on a motion platform for balance training.
- Compensation
- Not stated in the trial record.
- Follow-up
- Your balance control and motion perception will be measured at the beginning of each visit, 20 minutes after the intervention, and 20 minutes after a washout 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.
Subthreshold Vestibular Stimulation as a Strategy for Rehabilitation
At a glance
Conditions
Where it's being run
1 sites across 1 statesWho to contact
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What this trial measures
- Perturbed Stance Postural ControlAt each of the 4 visits, outcome measures will be captured at (1) beginning of the visit (i.e., baseline), (2) post-intervention (20 minutes after baseline), and (3) post-washout (20 minutes after the post-intervention assessment).
The RMSD of mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) postural sway will be measured in response to pseudorandom two-dimensional mediolateral and anteroposterior tilts of the support surface delivered using a 6DoF motion platform. Participants will stand with eyes closed and feet at a standardized distance on top of the motion platform. The platform will tilt simultaneously in both the roll and pitch planes, with each plane of tilt having independent frequency spectra (\~0.08 to 1 Hz). The perturbation test will last approximately 2 minutes.
- Vestibular Perceptual Thresholds - 0.5Hz Roll TiltAt each of the 4 visits, outcome measures will be captured at (1) beginning of the visit (i.e., baseline), (2) post-intervention (20 minutes after baseline), and (3) post-washout (20 minutes after the post-intervention assessment).
Vestibular perceptual thresholds will be measured using a forced-choice direction recognition task using methods that the investigators have used extensively. Subjects will be tilted in the coronal plane (i.e., roll tilt) in one of two directions (e.g., towards the left or right) in complete darkness while seated on a 6DoF platform. To mask potential auditory directionality cues, auditory "noise" - uncorrelated with motion (amplitude, direction, or type) - will be applied at approximately 60 dB SPL. Motion stimuli will consist of single cycles of sinusoidal acceleration. After each motion, the participant will be asked to judge the direction of the tilt stimulus, with the threshold being defined as the smallest velocity of tilt that can be accurately perceived.