Effects of optokinetic stimulation induced by virtual reality on locomotion: a preliminary study

Conclusions. Exposure to a virtual environment for 20 min was sufficient to cause adaptive changes in locomotion in healthy subjects, suggesting that virtual environments might improve locomotor deviation in patients with unilateral labyrinthine defects. Objective. Postural and locomotor control in patients with unilateral labyrinthine defects deviates towards the lesion side. The aim of this study was to examine whether active locomotion within a virtual environment can increase the functionality of rehabilitation. Subjects and methods. We examined the effects of optokinetic stimulation produced by a virtual reality environment on ocular movement and locomotor tracks in 10 healthy subjects. Results. During the 20 min experiment, the mean locomotor deviation and the mean frequency and mean amplitude of optokinetic nystagmus during the last period of the experiment were significantly higher than those during the initial period.