A feasibility study of a CAREN assessment for mTBI patients with and without prism glasses

Sensory dysfunction can be a major contributor to persistent symptoms after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). There are many possible sensory dysfunctions; most impact posture and gait. This leads to increased cognitive processing demands to compensate, possible sensory inattention to the environment often resulting in increased symptomology and activity avoidance. With this project, we hope to characterize and identify novel ways of using virtual reality and motion analysis to help describe one type of sensory dysfunction - Visual Midline-Shift Syndrome (VMSS). Treatment for VMSS is to prescribe prism glasses. The current literature does not include evidence of testing for other sensory modality deficits (ie: vestibular) that could accompany VMSS, nor a full biomechanical analysis of the patient's posture and gait. Using the CAREN system at The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, a set of assessment exercises will be developed to identify spatial perception deficits in patients who have mild brain injuries and to determine if those deficits are only visual in nature. We will also explore how prism glasses affect balance and symptomology.