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Background: Unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) may lead to modifications on metabolism and body composition. Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) demonstrated its effectiveness in ameliorating balance function and several other daily-living aspects. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate metabolic composition, by means of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and daily activity, with the use of a wrist-worn movement tracker, in UVH participants before and after VR, and to compare data with a healthy control group (CG) of adults. Methods: 46 UVH and 60 CG participants underwent otoneurological testing, self-report and performance questionnaires, BIA, and wore a device tracking daily movement and energy expenditure for one full day; this was performed before and after VR. Results: UVH participants demonstrated a significant (p = 0.008) increase in muscle mass after VR, and, when compared to CG, no differences were present with respect to visceral fat and muscle mass. UVH adults reported a significant increase in energy expenditure spent in movement (p = 0.008) and during the day (p = 0.009), daily number of strides (p = 0.009) and calories spent in sweeping (p = 0.009) and stairing (p = 0.008). Conclusions: Results from this study show that VR provided an improvement of metabolic function and body composition of people with UVH, possibly by contrasting structural modifications in neural pathways stemming from the vestibular nuclei and connected to autonomous function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the cervical range of motion (CROM) and clinical parameters in patients affected by myogenous temporomandibular disorders (TMD), cervicogenic dizziness (CGD), both TMD and CGD (TMD/CGD), and a group of healthy subjects (HS). CROM degrees, Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-17), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Jaw Functional Limitation Scale 20 (JFLS-20) scores were compared between 46 TMD patients, 49 CGD subjects, 43 TMD/CGD patients, and 98 HS. TMD/CGD and CGD patients demonstrated significantly lower CROM degrees and higher DHI, TSK-17, and HADS values when compared to TMD patients. TMD/CGD and TMD patients demonstrated higher JFLS-20 values when compared to CGD and HS. Significant negative correlations were found in TMD/CGD and TMD patients between JFLS-20 and CROM in flexion and extension. Present findings demonstrated a relation between spine movement impairment and TMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Posturography power spectra (PS) implementation has been proven to discriminate between sensory inputs detriment of vestibular and proprioceptive origin. OBJECTIVE: To deepen the role of posturography testing in the diagnostic route of dizzy conditions, by comparing two groups of patients –93 affected by cervicogenic dizziness (CGD) and 72 by unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) –with a group of 98 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects, serving as control group (CON). METHODS: All participants underwent otoneurological testing including video head impulse test (vHIT) and posturography testing with PS analysis. They also filled in Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaires. RESULTS: UVH and CGD patients were found to have significant increase in vestibular- and proprioceptive-related PS values when compared with CON. Receiver operating characteristic curves found PS values to reliably discriminate both groups from CON. Positive and negative correlations were respectively found between vestibular-/proprioceptive-related PS domain and DHI in both groups and between PS and vHIT scores in UVH patients. CONCLUSIONS: PS analysis demonstrated to be useful in differentiating CGD and UVH patients each other and when compared to CON, to objectively represent perceived symptoms filled along the DHI scale and to corroborate the rate of vestibular deficit in UVH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate how self-report and posturographic measures could be affected in patients with cervicogenic dizziness undergoing sustained natural apophyseal glides. Design: Randomised controlled single-blind study. Setting: Tertiary rehabilitation centre. Subjects: Patients affected by cervicogenic dizziness, diagnosed by applying accepted criteria. Forty-one patients (19 male, 22 female: mean age 44.3 ± 14.8 years) receiving treatment, and 39 patients (18 male, 21 female: mean age 43.8 ± 13.9 years) receiving placebo were included in the study. Interventions: The treatment group underwent sustained natural apophyseal glides, while the placebo was constituted by a detuned laser. Both groups received their interventions six times over 4 weeks. Main measures: Outcomes were tested by means of self-report measures such as perceived dizziness, neck disability, anxiety and depression. Also, cervical range of motion and posturography testing with power spectra frequency were analysed. Results: When compared to placebo, treated patients demonstrated a significant decrease in perceived dizziness (post-treatment total Dizziness Handicap Inventory score 20.5 ± 5.3 as compared to 26.2 ± 6 baseline), neck disability and pain (Neck Disability Index and Neck Pain Index post-treatment scores 12.5 ± 4.3 and 45.6 ± 15.1, respectively, as compared to baseline scores of 15.1 ± 4.8 and 62.5 ± 14.3), as well as significant improvement in cervical range of motion and some posturographic parameters. Conclusion: Sustained natural apophyseal glides may represent a useful intervention in reaching short-term beneficial effects in patients with cervicogenic dizziness, with respect to self-perceived symptoms, proprioceptive integration and cervical range of motion improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, entitled "Dizziness in patients with cognitive impairment", the authors further evaluated the degree of relationship between the impairment in Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and the impairment in different neuropsychological domains. In a recent interesting work, Lee et al. compared the changes in different neuropsychological tests in two groups of patients affected by cognitive impairment with or without postural instability [[3]]. Furthermore, the study showed significantly higher DHI scores in patients with postural instability compared to patients without postural instability. [Extracted from the article]

We read with great interest the work by Rosiak et al. "Evaluation of the effectiveness of a Virtual Reality-based exercise program for Unilateral Peripheral Vestibular Deficit" [[1]]. Such experiences seem to confirm that patient-tailored, VR-based vestibular rehabilitation may induce long-lasting adaptations in the central nervous system and that patients can remain free of symptoms after long periods of time. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) may lead to modifications on metabolism and body composition. Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) demonstrated its effectiveness in ameliorating balance function and several other daily-living aspects., Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate metabolic composition, by means of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and daily activity, with the use of a wrist-worn movement tracker, in UVH participants before and after VR, and to compare data with a healthy control group (CG) of adults., Methods: 46 UVH and 60 CG participants underwent otoneurological testing, self-report and performance questionnaires, BIA, and wore a device tracking daily movement and energy expenditure for one full day; this was performed before and after VR., Results: UVH participants demonstrated a significant (p = 0.008) increase in muscle mass after VR, and, when compared to CG, no differences were present with respect to visceral fat and muscle mass. UVH adults reported a significant increase in energy expenditure spent in movement (p = 0.008) and during the day (p = 0.009), daily number of strides (p = 0.009) and calories spent in sweeping (p = 0.009) and stairing (p = 0.008)., Conclusions: Results from this study show that VR provided an improvement of metabolic function and body composition of people with UVH, possibly by contrasting structural modifications in neural pathways stemming from the vestibular nuclei and connected to autonomous function.

Objective: To analyze the cervical range of motion (CROM) and clinical parameters in patients affected by myogenous temporomandibular disorders (TMD), cervicogenic dizziness (CGD), both TMD and CGD (TMD/CGD), and a group of healthy subjects (HS)., Methods: CROM degrees, Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-17), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Jaw Functional Limitation Scale 20 (JFLS-20) scores were compared between 46 TMD patients, 49 CGD subjects, 43 TMD/CGD patients, and 98 HS., Results: TMD/CGD and CGD patients demonstrated significantly lower CROM degrees and higher DHI, TSK-17, and HADS values when compared to TMD patients. TMD/CGD and TMD patients demonstrated higher JFLS-20 values when compared to CGD and HS. Significant negative correlations were found in TMD/CGD and TMD patients between JFLS-20 and CROM in flexion and extension., Discussion: Present findings demonstrated a relation between spine movement impairment and TMD.