Mechanisms underlying treatment effects of vestibular noise stimulation on postural instability in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy

Abstract

Background: Previous studies indicate that imbalance in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) may be reduced by treatment with low-intensity noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS). Objective: To elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying this therapeutic effect. In particular, we determined whether nGVS-induced balance improvements in patients are compatible with stochastic resonance (SR)—a mechanism by which weak noise stimulation can paradoxically enhance sensory signal processing. Methods: Effects of nGVS of varying intensities (0–0.7 mA) on body sway were examined in 19 patients with BVP standing with eye closed on a posturographic force plate. We assumed a bell-shaped response curve with maximal sway reductions at intermediate nGVS intensities to be indicative of SR. An established SR curve model was fitted on individual patient outcomes, and three experienced human raters had to judge whether responses to nGVS were consistent with the exhibition of SR. Results: nGVS-induced reductions of body sway compatible with SR were found in 12 patients (63%) with optimal improvements of 31 ± 21%. In 10 patients (53%), nGVS-induced sway reductions exceeded the minimally important clinical difference (optimal improvement: 35 ± 21%), indicative of strong SR. This beneficial effect was more likely in patients with severe vestibular loss (i.e. lower video head impulse test gain; R = 0.663; p = 0.002) and considerable postural imbalance (baseline body sway; R = 0.616; p = 0.005). Conclusions: More than half of the assessed patients showed robust improvements in postural balance compatible with SR when treated with nGVS. In particular, patients with a higher burden of disease may benefit from the non-invasive and well-tolerated treatment with nGVS.