Effect of Vestibular Stimulation on Balance and Gait in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Parkinson’s Disease (PD) can be associated with balance and gait impairments leading to increased risk of falls. Several studies have reported positive effects of various forms of vestibular stimulation (VS) for improving balance and stability in people with PD (PwP). The purpose of present study was to synthesise the current evidence on the effectiveness of VS, highlighting its potential benefits in improving postural stability and reducing gait impairments in people with Parkinson’s Disease. Method: A systematic search was conducted across databases Cochrane, Medline, PEDro, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Studies were included if they involved PwP at stages 3 or 4 of the Hoehn and Yahr scale, aged 60 years or older. The Risk of Bias (RoB) was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool. The review followed the PRISMA guidelines and the protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022283898). Results: demonstrated that various forms of VS have shown promise in mitigating symptoms of vestibular dysfunction and improving gait and balance in PwP. However, the overall RoB ranged from moderate to critical, with variations across different domains. Conclusions: While VS appears to offer potential benefits in improving balance and gait in PwP, the presence of biases in the reviewed studies necessitate caution in interpreting the results. Further research should focus on addressing these biases to confirm the therapeutic potential of VS in PD.