Head Sway Patterns Distinguish Vestibular Hypofunction From Healthy Controls

FRIDAY, April 5, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A head-mounted display test of postural control shows significant differences in head sway between participants with vestibular hypofunction (VH) and healthy controls, according to a pilot study published online Feb. 28 in Frontiers in Neurology.

Jennifer L. Kelly, P.T., from the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York City, and colleagues investigated whether head sway can differentiate between patients with Meniere disease (MD; 18 participants), VH (32 participants), and healthy controls (30 participants).

The researchers found that when presented with a static visual, participants with VH showed significantly larger head sway using root mean square velocity (VRMS) compared with controls in the anterior-posterior (60 seconds and 20 seconds) and pitch (20 seconds) directions. When presented with a dynamic visual, participants with VH showed significantly larger head VRMS than controls for all directions for both the 60- and 20-second analysis. There were no significant differences for participants with MD versus the control or the VH group.

"Head sway derived from head-mounted display is sensitive to VH and can be clinically useful as an outcome measure to evaluate sensory integration for postural control," the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to the medical device industry.

Abstract/Full Text