Subthreshold white noise vibration alters trembling sway in older adults

Hum Mov Sci. 2023 Jun 28;90:103119. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2023.103119. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Somatosensory deficit is a significant contributor to falls in older adults. Stochastic resonance has shown promise in recent studies of somatosensation-based balance disorders, improving many measures of stability both inside and outside of the clinic. However, our understanding of this effect from a physiological perspective is poorly understood. Therefore, the primary goal of this study is to explore the influence of subthreshold vibratory stimulation on sway under the rambling-trembling framework.METHODS: 10 Healthy older adults (60-65 years) volunteered to participate in this study. Each participant underwent two randomized testing sessions on separate days, one experimental and one placebo. During each session, the participants' baseline sway was captured during one 90-s quiet standing trial. Their sensation threshold was then captured using a custom vibratory mat and 4-2-1 vibration perception threshold test. Finally, participants completed another 90-s quiet standing trial while the vibratory mat vibrated at 90% of their measured threshold (if experimental) or with the mat off (if placebo). While they completed these trials, an AMTI force plate collected force and moment data in the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML), from which the center of pressure (COP), rambling (RM), and trembling (TR) time series were calculated. From each of these time series...

Source: Human Movement Science - June 30, 2023 Category: Neurology Authors: Eryn D Gerber Camilo Giraldo Brett Whorley Paris Nichols Scott Ring Carl W Luchies Source Type: research