title: The effect of vision on postural strategies in Prader-Willi patients.
abstract: The aim of this study was to quantify the role of visual contribution in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) on balance maintenance using a force platform. We enrolled 14 individuals with PWS free from conditions associated with impaired balance, 44 obese (OG) and 20 healthy controls (CG). Postural sway was measured for 60s while standing on a force platform (Kistler, CH; acquisition frequency: 500 Hz) integrated with a video system. Patients maintained an upright standing position with Open Eyes (OE) and then with Closed Eyes (CE). The ratio between the value of the parameter under OE and CE conditions was measured. Under OE condition PWS and OG were characterized by higher postural instability than CG, with the PWS group showing poorer balance capacity than OG. The Romberg ratio showed that while OG and CG had lower balance without vision, PWS maintained the same performance changing from OE to CE. The integration of different sensory inputs appears similar in OG and CG with higher postural stability under OE than CE. Balance in PWS is not influenced by the elimination of visual input.
authors.affiliation: Bioeng. Dept., Politecnico di Milano, piazza Leonardo Da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy. veronica.cimolin@polimi.it
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cimolin
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vismara
authors.forename: Graziano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grugni
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Priano
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Capodaglio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*