Assessment and Rehabilitation of Central Sensory Impairments for Balance in mTBI

Abstract : Objectives: Control of balance requires complex integration of sensory and motor systems. In the clinic or in the field, balance measurement is often over-simplified, preventing balance deficits from being identified and treated after mTBI. Our central hypothesis is that chronic balance deficits after mTBI result from impairments in central sensorimotor integration that may be helped by rehabilitation. There are two objectives of this proposal; the first objective is to characterize balance deficits in people with mTBI. The second objective is to use a novel auditory biofeedback device to improve measures central sensorimotor integration and balance control. Plan: The proposed 4-year study has two parts: 1) Cross-sectional study (Aim I: Balance Assessment) to identify and characterize maladaptive balance control strategies after mTBI compared to healthy controls and 2) Interventional randomized pilot study (Aim II: Balance Rehabilitation) using a novel auditory biofeedback rehabilitation technique to ameliorate maladaptive balance control strategies after mTBI. Subjects in Aim II will be a subset from Aim I and studies will occur simultaneously.