Effectiveness of head-mounted vibrotactile stimulation in subjects with bilateral vestibular loss: a phase 1 clinical trial.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate the effectiveness of a head-mounted vibrotactile prosthesis for balance improvement in subjects with severe bilateral vestibular loss (BVL).


METHODS
Crossover study.


METHODS
Academic tertiary care vestibular function test center.


METHODS
Five subjects with severe BVL as defined by video-oculography, rotational chair, and computerized dynamic posturography criteria.


METHODS
Vibrotactile head tilt feedback


METHODS
Change in Sensory Organization Test (SOT) Conditions 5 and 6 performance (fall-no fall, time to fall, strategy analysis) and dynamic subjective visual vertical (DSVV) response.


RESULTS
1) Significant improvement in binary fall-no fall ratio on SOT 5 and SOT 6 combined (chi2 = 9.603, df = 1, p = 0.001); 2) Significant increase in time to fall measurements on SOT 5 (p < 0.001) and SOT 6 (p < 0.01; 1-tailed t test); 3) Nonsignificant improvement in strategy scores on SOT 5 (p = 0.156) and SOT 6 (p = 0.259; 1-tailed t test); and 4) No significant effect during eccentric DSVV testing (analysis of variance).


CONCLUSIONS
Head-mounted vibrotactile stimulation produced significant improvement in postural stability in subjects with BVL undergoing SOT 5 and 6 testing with no effect on subjective visual vertical during DSVV testing.
Goebel
Joel A
JA
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. goebelj@ent.wustl.edu
Sinks
Belinda C
BC
Parker
B Eugene
BE
Richardson
Neal T
NT
Olowin
Aaron B
AB
Cholewiak
Roger W
RW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D012399:Rotation; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*