Novel Neuromodulation Treatment of Age Related Vestibular Loss to Improve Balance and Gait in Elderly Individuals

摘要 神经功能丧失是衰老和疾病的常见问题。为了处理这一损失，目前 神经刺激器使用了各种形式的刺激，推测这些刺激可以激活神经元 引发神经调节。一般来说，这些刺激器依赖于固定的频率和幅度 刺激。最近，我们发现随机电刺激的潜知觉水平 应用于前庭系统，可改善前庭介导的反射功能， 平衡和步态演示了使用低水平的电刺激来增强 没有外源性刺激的前庭系统的自然神经信号。这样做的目的是 目前的工作是通过应用LOW来演示平衡和步态的持续改善 随机电刺激对老年人前庭系统的影响 前庭功能减退。我们假设老年参与者会表现出功能性 持续低水平的随机电刺激改善。这项工作将确立 使用SAFE治疗老年人老年性前庭功能丧失的可行性参数 以及有效的电刺激量。

Abstract Loss of neural function is a common problem with aging and disease. To treat this loss, current neural stimulators have used various forms of stimulation that putatively activate neurons to elicit neuromodulation. Generally these stimulators rely on a fixed frequency and amplitude stimulus. Recently, we have found that subperceptual levels of random electrical stimulation applied to the vestibular system produce improvements in vestibular-mediated reflex function, balance and gait demonstrating the use of low levels of electrical stimulation to enhance the natural neural signaling of the vestibular system without exogenous stimulus. The goal of this present work is to demonstrate the sustained improvement of balance and gait by applying low levels of random electrical stimulation to the vestibular system of elderly individuals with vestibular hypofunction. We hypothesize that elderly participants will display functional improvement with sustained low levels of random electrical stimulation. This work will establish parameters for viable treatment of age related vestibular loss in elderly individuals using safe and effective amounts of electrical stimulation.