Disequilibrium After Traumatic Brain Injury: Vestibular Mechanisms
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate mechanisms of disequilibrium and imbalance in veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom / Operation Iraqi Freedom who have experienced traumatic brain injury (TBI). The mechanism of chronic dizziness and imbalance after TBI is not known. The hypothesis for this study is that TBI leads to an impairment in the vestibular reflexes that compensate for linear movements of the head and body during standing and walking. The experimental protocol has two parts. First, we use an infrared motion-tracking system to record the movements of the body during balance and walking tasks. Then, we use eye movement recordings during linear and rotational motion to perform a comprehensive assessment of the vestibular reflexes. Data recorded in veterans with a history of TBI are compared to those from neurologically normal control subjects who report no balance problems. To date, we have studied six veterans with TBI and five control subjects, and recruitment is ongoing. Preliminary data have confirmed objective balance and gait data in TBI subjects, but it is not yet clear whether these abnormalities will correlate with specific vestibular deficits.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA540237
Entities
People
- Mark Walker
Organizations
- Case Western Reserve University