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Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
Published in: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research

Effect of noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation in community-dwelling elderly people: a randomised controlled trial

Authors: Yasuto Inukai, Mitsuhiro Masaki, Naofumi Otsuru, Kei Saito, Shota Miyaguchi, Sho Kojima, Hideaki Onishi

Published in: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Balance disorders are a risk factor for falls in the elderly. Although noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS) has been reported to improve balance in young people, randomised control trials targeting community-dwelling elderly people have not been conducted to date. We aimed to assess the influence of nGVS on COP sway in the open-eye standing posture among community-dwelling elderly people in a randomised controlled trial.

Methods

A randomised controlled trial of 32 community-dwelling elderly people randomly assigned to control (sham stimulation) and an nGVS groups. All participants underwent centre of pressure (COP) sway measurements while standing with open eyes at baseline and during stimulation. The control group underwent sham stimulation and the nGVS group underwent noise stimulation (0.4 mA; 0.1–640 Hz).

Results

In the nGVS group, sway path length, mediolateral mean velocity and anteroposterior mean velocity decreased during stimulation compared with baseline (P < 0.01). The effect of nGVS was large in participants with a high COP sway path length at baseline, but there was no significant difference in COP sway in the control group.

Conclusions

We conclude that nGVS decreases the COP sway path length and mean velocity of community-dwelling elderly people when standing with open eyes. This suggests that nGVS could be effective for treating balance dysfunction in the elderly.
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Metadata
Title
Effect of noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation in community-dwelling elderly people: a randomised controlled trial
Authors
Yasuto Inukai
Mitsuhiro Masaki
Naofumi Otsuru
Kei Saito
Shota Miyaguchi
Sho Kojima
Hideaki Onishi
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1743-0003
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-018-0407-6

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