title: Learning effects of the sensory organization test as a measure of postural control and balance in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent experiments examining balance in Parkinson's disease (PD) have used the sensory organization test (SOT) to measure postural control and balance. Use of the SOT raises the question as to whether people will improve after undergoing the test multiple times or if there is a learning effect plateau after multiple trials. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a learning effect using the SOT in subjects with PD both fallers and non-fallers, and healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen subjects completed the study. Ten subjects with PD who were non-fallers (PD-Non-fallers), nine subjects with PD who were fallers (PD-Faller), and 10 healthy controls (Controls). Subjects completed 5 SOT testing sessions over a 3 week period. Those with PD were tested at the same time in their peak 'on' period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PD-Faller groups SOT composite score improved from session 1 to session 4 and 5. In the Control group the composite score improved from session 1 to session 5. There was no change from session 1 to session 5 in the PD Non-faller group. The PD-Faller group had significantly lower composite scores than our PD Non-faller group and our Controls. Our PD-Non-faller group scores were similar to Controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple baseline measures are usually recommended for any task used as an outcome measure. Our findings suggest that in PD subjects who are considered fallers that by the fourth session any improvement may be due to a learning effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), Old Westbury, NY, USA; The Adele Smithers Parkinson's Disease Treatment Center, NYIT, Old Westbury, NY, USA. Electronic address: jdonoghu@nyit.edu.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DiFrancisco-Donoghue
authors.affiliation: Office of Research, NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Min-Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Human Performance Laboratory, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Geisel
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, NYIT, Old Westbury, NY, USA; The Adele Smithers Parkinson's Disease Treatment Center, NYIT, Old Westbury, NY, USA.
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Balance; Parkinson's disease; SOT