Influence of sensory information on static balance in older patients with vestibular disorder

Abstract

Introduction: With aging, the sensory systems suffer an accumulation of degenerative, infectious and/or traumatic processes that may hinder the body balance maintenance. Objective: To assess the influence of sensory information on static body balance of elderly individuals with vestibular disorders. Methods: Cross-sectional study of elderly individuals with vestibular disorders. The Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance and posturography integrated with virtual reality (Balance Rehabilitation Unit™) were used. Posturography parameters analyzed included center of pressure and velocity of body sway. Results: 123 individuals with mean age of 73.11 were assessed. Worst performance was observed in the Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance condition of visual dome-unstable surface. Differences between conditions were: firm surface-open eyes/firm surface-closed eyes, unstable surface-open eyes/unstable surface-closed eyes (p < 0.001), and unstable surface-closed eyes/unstable surface-visual dome. Considering center of pressure and velocity of body sway, significant differences were observed between the following conditions: firm surface-open eyes/firm surface-closed eyes: firm surface-saccadic stimulus/firm surface-vertical optokinetic stimulus; firm surface-optokinetic stimuli/firm surface-visual-vestibular interaction; and firm surface-visual-vestibular interaction/unstable surface. Worse performances were observed in conditions firm surface-closed eyes, firm surface-vertical optokinetic stimulus, F-visual-vestibular interaction, and unstable surface-closed eyes. There was a difference in the center of pressure between firm surface-closed eyes/firm surface-saccadic stimulus, with a worse performance in the condition of firm surface-closed eyes, and of velocity of body sway, between firm surface-saccadic stimulus/firm surface-horizontal optokinetic stimulus (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Static body balance in elderly individuals with vestibular disorders is worse when the sensory conditions are more challenging, i.e. stable and unstable surfaces, visual stimuli, such as optokinetic and visual-vestibular interaction, and with the eyes closed.