Effectiveness of an electro-tactile vestibular substitution system in improving upright postural control in unilateral vestibular-defective patients

Gait Posture. 2008 Nov;28(4):711-5. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2008.05.017. Epub 2008 Jul 15.

Abstract

We investigated the effects of an electro-tactile vestibular substitution system (EVSS) on upright postural control in 12 unilateral vestibular-defective patients. The underlying principle of this system consists in supplying the user with additional information about his/her head orientation/motion with respect to gravitational vertical, normally provided by the vestibular system, through electro-tactile stimulation of his/her tongue. Subjects were asked to stand as immobile as possible with their eyes closed in two No-EVSS and EVSS conditions. Reduced centre-of-foot pressure displacements were observed in the EVSS relative to the No-EVSS condition. These results, demonstrating the effectiveness of the EVSS system in improving upright postural control in unilateral vestibular-defective patients, could have implications in clinical and rehabilitative areas.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biofeedback, Psychology*
  • Equipment Design
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Postural Balance / physiology*
  • Pressure
  • Proprioception / physiology
  • Tongue / physiology
  • Touch / physiology
  • Vestibule, Labyrinth / physiology*