April 2024 – Physical Therapy Sensorimotor Lab

Neural and behavioral indices of balance performance in individuals with sensory loss

April 2023: PhD candidate Brittani Morris was awarded a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to…

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More than 1/3 of adults in the United States seek medical attention for vestibular disorders and hearing loss; disorders that can triple one’s fall risk and have a profound effect on one’s participation in activities of daily living.

Hearing loss has been shown to reduce balance performance and could be one modifiable risk factor for falls. Patients with vestibular hypofunction tend to avoid busy, hectic, visually complex, and loud environments because these environments provoke dizziness and imbalance.

While the visual impact on balance is well known, less is known about the importance of sounds for balance. Our research is designed to explain the relationship between what we hear and balance control and why some people with hearing loss may have a balance problem.

Our group uses recent advances in virtual reality technology and developed a Head Mounted Display (HMD) protocol of immersive environments, combining specific manipulations of visuals and sounds to answer these questions.