Posturographic sensory ratios provide evidence for neuroplasticity after computerized vestibular rehabilitation therapy in a single group interventional trial.
Eytan A David, Navid Shahnaz
PMID 40217271WHAT IT FOUND
Thirteen adults with chronic unilateral vestibular loss improved their balance on a moving platform after 12 sessions of computerized retraining.
Those with higher baseline dizziness handicap showed the largest gains in vestibular and visual sensory ratios, which remained elevated at 10-12 months.
Key findings
01The composite balance score and the VIS ratio increased significantly after treatment and remained above baseline at 4-6 and 10-12 month follow-up.
02Participants with moderate-to-severe dizziness handicap (DHI > 30) showed significant post-treatment increases in VIS and VEST ratios, while those with mild disability showed no changes.
03The somatosensory (SOM) and visual preference (PREF) ratios did not change significantly after retraining.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
There was no control group, so natural recovery, regression to the mean, or learning effects from repeated testing cannot be ruled out. The sample size was very small (n=13) with no prior power calculation. Participants with mild symptoms showed no benefit, but it is unclear if this was due to a ceiling effect on the test or a true lack of response. Nine of the thirteen participants had received previous vestibular rehabilitation, which may have influenced their response to the new intervention. Improvement in SOT scores could partly reflect familiarity with the testing apparatus rather than true neuroplastic change.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improved sensory ratios as proof that the treatment caused neuroplasticity. Without a control group, the observed changes could reflect test-retest learning or natural fluctuation, and the study was too small to rule out these alternative explanations.