Long-term effects of electrotactile sensory substitution therapy on balance disorders

This clinical research investigated whether a new type of rehabilitation therapy involving the use of a vestibular substitution tongue device (VSTD) is effective for severe balance disorders caused by unilateral vestibular loss. Sixteen patients with postural imbalances because of unilateral vestibular loss underwent training with VSTD. The VSTD transmits information on the head position to the brain through the tongue as substitutes for the lost vestibular information. The device’s electrode array was placed on the tongue and participants were trained to maintain a centered body position by ensuring the electrical signals in the center of their tongue. All participants completed 10 min training sessions 2–3 times per day for 8 weeks. Functional gait assessments and the dizziness handicap inventory were, respectively, used to the evaluate participants’ dynamic gait function and their severity of balance problems before and after the training period. All examined parameters improved after the 8-week training period. These changes were maintained for up to 2 years after the termination of the training program. Short-term training with VSTD had beneficial carry-over effects. VSTD training might represent a useful rehabilitation therapy in individuals with persistent balance disorders and might lead to long-term improvements in their balance performance and ability to perform daily and social activities.