Clinical Research Directory

Testing Effectiveness of a Stochastic Noise Stimulator to Immediately Improve Balance and Gait

The goal of this intervention study is to determine if a new electronic stimulation device, similar to a TENS can improve balance and make walking easier in older individuals with reduced balance function. The main question aims to answer the following: Can using the device improve walking speed in older individuals? Participants will be asked to perform a number of tasks while wearing the device: Walk for 6 minutes * Stand in place while having balance measured (eyes open and closed) * Stand on a foam block while having balance measured (eyes open and closed) * Sit in a chair that will tilt +/- 20 degrees while wearing goggles that take videos of the participants eyes.

Vestibular Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease

Nearly 2 out of 3 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) experience problems with balance and mobility, which places such patients at increased risk of falling. The vestibular (inner ear balance) system plays an important role in balance stability, and vestibular therapy (VT) is well-known to improve balance function in healthy older adults. In this study, the investigators will conduct a first-in-kind randomized clinical trial to evaluate whether vestibular therapy improves reduces falls in patients with AD, in whom this treatment has never been studied.

Reading Outcomes in Children With Vestibular Loss

Vestibular loss can co-occur with hearing loss causing dual sensory deficits. This project examines vestibular loss as a contributing factor to reading difficulties for children with hearing loss, where previously only the effects of hearing loss and subsequent language difficulties have been considered. These results are expected to influence the identification and habilitation of vestibular loss in children with hearing loss.

Measuring Vestibular Organ Function With Weak Alternating Current Stimulation

The goal of this clinical trial is to preliminarily evaluate the use of electrical stimulation in diagnosing disorders with the vestibular system. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can electrical vestibular stimulation combined with movement measurement be used to diagnose disorders of the vestibular system? * Can electrical stimulation provide treatment or rehabilitation opportunities for patients suffering from disorders of the vestibular system?

Evaluation of Nystagmus Examination Using Wearable AR Glasses in Vertigo Patients

Background and Purpose: Vertigo is common in emergency and outpatient settings, yet standard oculomotor testing usually requires dedicated equipment and exam rooms. This study evaluates whether nystagmus examinations performed with wearable augmented-reality (AR) glasses are equivalent to conventional examination-room testing for classifying central vs. peripheral vertigo. The investigators also assess diagnostic accuracy, patient tolerability, and the reliability of AR-based interpretation (test-retest and inter-rater). Study Design: Prospective, single-center, within-subject randomized equivalence study at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Each participant completes both AR-based and conventional oculomotor testing in a randomized order during the same visit, separated by a 30-minute washout. The study uses an evaluator-blind approach: de-identified trajectories are reviewed offline by independent experts who are masked to test modality. A follow-up visit (\~1 week) captures adverse events and patient experience. Participants: Adults (≥18 years) presenting with vertigo who can tolerate the AR headset and provide consent. Key exclusions include conditions that prevent reliable eye-tracking (e.g., corrected visual acuity \<20/40), recent use of vestibular suppressants (within 24 hours), and other factors limiting cooperation or safety. Interventions and Procedures: The AR system records eye movements and presents standardized visual stimuli. Conventional testing follows current clinical standards (e.g., Frenzel/oculomotor exam). All recordings are stored securely for blinded review. Outcomes: Primary endpoint: Equivalence of diagnostic agreement (central vs. peripheral) between AR-based and conventional methods, quantified by Cohen's kappa (κ) with a predefined equivalence margin. Secondary endpoints: (1) Diagnostic accuracy of the AR method in a clinically-indicated imaging subgroup (MRI preferred; CT as needed) using a sequential evaluation strategy; (2) Patient discomfort/tolerability using VAS and CSQ-VR, compared between modalities; (3) Test-retest reliability of AR-based classifications; (4) Inter-rater reliability between independent evaluators, with a third reader adjudicating discordant cases; (5) prespecified subgroup analyses by age, medical history, and vestibular function. Sample Size and Duration: Approximately 200 participants will be enrolled (target \~180 evaluable after \~10% attrition). Total study duration is \~2 years, including enrollment, follow-up, and analysis. Risks and Benefits: Both tests are non-invasive. Potential transient discomfort (e.g., eye strain or cybersickness) will be monitored. There may be no direct benefit to participants; however, results could support broader, more accessible, and standardized vertigo assessment. Data Security and Privacy: All data are de-identified, stored on secure platforms with role-based access and audit trails. Safety events are monitored and graded, and protocol deviations are handled per Good Clinical Practice.

StableEyes With Active Neurofeedback

The investigators have developed a self-administered rehabilitation tool that incrementally guides the user to increase head motion to mitigate motion sickness and enhance postural recovery following centrifugation or unilateral vestibular nerve deafferentation surgery.

Vestibular and Postural Function in Children Suspected of Balance Disorders

The goal of this prospective cohort study is to investigate the vestibular function in children suspected of balance disorders, and to follow up on their balance progressions after rehabilitation. The main hypothesis of the study is that delayed gross motor development and symptoms of dizziness and balance problems in some children are caused by vestibular dysfunction. The investigators expect that early detection and rehabilitation by a physiotherapist will improve the balance ability for the child. The participants will be children in the age of 6 months to 10 years with delayed gross motor development and/or with dizziness/balance problems. The test protocol consists of questionnaires, hearing screening and vestibular and postural assessments.

Vestibular and Postural Function in an Unselected Group of Children With Sensorineural Hearing Loss

The goal of this prospective cohort study is to investigate the vestibular function in children with unilateral or bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The main hypothesis of the study is that abnormal vestibular test results will be found in 20-30 % of the children with sensorineural hearing loss. The participants will be children in the age of 3-10 years with sensorineural hearing loss. The test protocol consists of questionnaires and vestibular and postural assessments.

Vestibular Function and Motor Development in Small Children

Infants and toddlers with and without vestibular impairment will be tested blinded by pediatric physiotherapist with different age adequate motor scales in order to find out pathological motor patterns specifically associated to vestibular impairment.

Concurrent Vestibular Activation and Postural Training Using Virtual Reality

Postural instability is a common symptom of vestibular dysfunction that impacts a person's day-to-day activities. Vestibular rehabilitation is effective in decreasing dizziness, visual symptoms and improving postural control through several mechanisms including sensory reweighting. As part of the sensory reweighting mechanisms, vestibular activation training with headshake activities influence vestibular reflexes. However, combining challenging vestibular and postural tasks to facilitate more effective rehabilitation outcomes is under-utilized. The novel concurrent headshake and weight shift training (Concurrent HS-WST) is purported to train the vestibular system to directly impact the postural control system simultaneously and engage sensory reweighting to improve balance. Healthy older adults will perform the training by donning a virtual reality headset and standing on the floor or foam pad with an overhead harness on and a spotter present to prevent any falls. The investigators propose that this training strategy would show improved outcomes over traditional training methods by improving vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) gains, eye movement variability, sensory reweighting and promoting postural balance. The findings of this study may guide clinicians to develop rehabilitation methods for vestibular postural control in neurological populations with vestibular and/or sensorimotor control impairment.

Vestibular Infant Screening - Rehabilitation

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the short-term effect of a structured, combined postural control and gaze stabilisation protocol (VIS-REHAB protocol) in a group of vestibular-impaired children of different age categories (3-17 years). The main questions it aims to answer are: * What is the short-term effect of the VIS-REHAB protocol? * What are the most important factors that may influence the effect of and outcome after application of the VIS-REHAB protocol? The participant will undergo both an active rehabilitation program (VIS-REHAB protocol) and a period during which physical therapy is discontinued (CTRL protocol).: \- VIS-REHAB protocol: Postural control (static and dynamic postural stability exercises), gaze stability exercises (oculomotor function and VOR-exercises) \& general gross motor training with focus on gaze stability and postural control. Researchers will compare the VIS-REHAB protocol with receiving no therapy (CTRL protocol) to evaluate potential enhancements in postural stability, gaze stability, motor performance and quality of life.

BALANCED GROWTH: The Involvement of the Vestibular System in a Child's Cognitive and Motor Development

When a vestibular dysfunction occurs at birth or in early stages of life, one might expect that this may have an enormous impact on a child's development. It is known that a severe congenital or early acquired vestibular deficit in children results in delayed psychomotor milestones. Later in life, children with a vestibular dysfunction may have difficulties with several balance tasks and additional cognitive, motor and/or psychosocial performances. While a few authors have suggested that there is indeed an influence of a vestibular dysfunction upon these different developmental domains (cognitive, motor, educational and psychosocial development), which can be supported by findings in clinical practice as well, literature concerning this topic remains fairly limited. On the other hand, several studies have shown that children with known difficulties in motor and/or cognitive functions have more difficulties in vestibular performances in comparison with their unaffected peers. Although more frequently discussed, the literature on this population is rather scarce too. Therefore, the current project aims to investigate the relationship with and the involvement of the vestibular system in the motor and cognitive development of school-aged children.

New Rehabilitation Protocol for Patients With PPPD

The investigators will test a new rehabilitation protocol on patients with persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD). The investigators hypothesize that patients with PPPD, in the absence of vestibular deficits, do not benefit from standard vestibular rehabilitation but instead need a rehabilitation that acts on visual and postural stability, through training of saccadic movements in dynamic contexts of cognitive-motor dual-task and rehabilitation of postural stability.

Menier's Disease - Bone Density Study

Meniere's disease is a progressive and debilitating inner ear disease characterised by vertigo and hearing loss. Several studies have linked Menierws disease with lower bone density and lower vitamin D levels. In the current prospective study definite Meniere's patients will be followed over a period of 2 year, during which repetitive measurements of bone density, vitamin D plasma levels, blood pressure as well as hearing and vestibular tests will be made. Results will be compared to healthy controls.