Visually Induced Dizziness in Concussed and Non-Concussed Dizzy Patients: Identifying the Pathophysiology of Postural Control Upon Optokinetic Stimuli

What this Trial Is About

This research project studies how balance is affected by special visual stimulation called optokinetic stimulation, which can cause dizziness known as visually induced dizziness (VID). The study focuses on patients with ongoing symptoms after a concussion and those with non-traumatic dizziness, comparing them to healthy participants to better understand the balance and symptom responses. The aim is to improve objective diagnosis of VID and support better treatment and management for affected patients. Participants undergo optokinetic stimulation using either a physical rotating disc or virtual reality goggles that display bright moving dots in specific patterns and directions. Healthy subjects experience a cross-over design, receiving both physical and virtual stimulations in varied sequences, while patients are examined with either physical or virtual stimulation to avoid excessive symptoms. Each stimulation trial lasts about 30 seconds in a controlled dark environment. During the study, researchers record participants' balance responses and document symptoms like dizziness, headache, and nausea at multiple time points during and after stimulation. The main outcome measures include the sensitivity of postural responses to visual stimuli, different postural characteristics, and the severity of visually induced dizziness. The study runs from May 2025 until October 2027, involving randomized participant allocation and single masking to support reliable assessment.

Dizziness Due to Visual Stimuli in Patients With Concussion and Other Causes of Dizziness: Examination of Balance Behaviour