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Effect of Vestibular Perceptual Learning on Vestibular Thresholds and Balance
Who can join
Ages 65 to 89 · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Must be able to stand * No leg or foot amputations * No lower limb braces * Not currently feeling dizzy/lightheaded * Not currently pregnant by self-report * Weight \<= 275 pounds Exclusion Criteria: * Severe head trauma or traumatic brain injury * Any vestibular disorder (e.g., Meniere's Disease, Vestibular Migraine, Unresolved benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Vestibular hypofunction, except that due to aging, PPPD) as assessed by a Vestibular OtoNeurologist and Neurotologist using clinical diagnostic tests described in proposal plus any additional clinical evaluations they identify * History of seizures * Neurologic illness or condition determined by an Otoneurologist known to impact vestibular or balance function(e.g., stroke, neurodegenerative disorders, demyelinating illness) * Major psychiatric (e.g., panic disorder, psychosis, etc.) disorder * Any of the following eye diseases or conditions: amblyopia (or "lazy eye") or history of amblyopia, diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration, retina dystrophy, glaucoma, cataracts, or any other eye condition that limits vision to worse than 20/40 * Recent (\<6 months) orthopedic injuries of the lower extremities (e.g., plantar fasciitis, ankle, knee or hip injury, back strain/herniated disc, …). * Upper extremity injuries requiring current sling immobilization * Recent surgery * Any other severe health problem (heart disease, pulmonary disease, cancer, etc.). * Vision in both eyes must be better than 20/40 with best correction * Due to the potential for nausea with some of the motion stimuli, and to protect fetus and mother, pregnant women will also be excluded from this study * Since every possible exclusionary factor cannot be predicted, additional exclusion criteria may be required
About the study
The intervention being studied is a minimal risk perceptual learning protocol delivered in an academic laboratory setting; the goal of the intervention is to improve the perception of passive whole-body tilts and/or translations, as well as balance, by providing feedback following passive tilts or translations of the body. The protocol lasts a total of \~45 days: Day 1 includes a pre-test assessment of perception and balance, as well as 100 repetitions of training, Days 2-7 each include 400 repetitions of training, and Day 6 includes only post-test assessments of perception and balance.
What is being tested
- Roll Tilt Training (behavioral)
- Translation Training (behavioral)
- Both Tilt and Translation Training (behavioral)
- Placebo Control (behavioral)
Sponsor: Ohio State University · Participants: 30 · Started: Aug 13, 2025
Contact the study team
- Daniel M Merfeld, PhD · Phone: 614-485-9179
- Shauntelle A Cannon, AuD · Phone: 614-485-9179
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05818787
Locations in the U.S.
| Ohio | The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus |
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.