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Introduction: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been engineered and are largely used in material science and industry. This large and increasing use justifies a careful study about the toxicity of this material for human subjects. The concerns regard also the reproductive toxicity and the fetotoxicity. Materials and methods: The effect of the exposure to ZnO NPs on the cochlear function was studied in a group of pregnant CD1 mice and in their offspring. This study is part of a larger toxicological study about the toxicity of ZnO NPs during pregnancy. Four groups were analyzed and compared, exposed and nonexposed dams and their offspring. The cochlear function was quantitatively assessed by means of Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAEs). Results and discussion: A large statistically significant difference was found between the non-exposed dams offspring and the exposed dams offspring (p = 1.6 · 10-3), whose DPOAE levels were significantly lower than those of non-exposed dams offspring and comparable to those of the adults. The DPOAE levels of the exposed and non-exposed dams were very low and not significantly different. This occurrence is related to the fact that these mice encounter a rapid aging process. Conclusion: Our findings show that maternal exposure to ZnO NPs does not reflect in overt toxicity on fetal development nor impair offspring birth, however it may damage the nervous tissue of the inner ear in the offspring. Other studies should confirm this result and identify the mechanisms through which ZnO NPs may affect ear development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

To evaluate posturography measurements, and their association with other clinical tests used for cervicogenic dizziness diagnosis, in a cohort of subjects suffering from cervicogenic dizziness, compared with healthy subjects. Ninety-three cervicogenic dizziness patients and 98 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects underwent video-Head impulse test, posturography testing, evaluation of cervical spine movements by means of cervical range of motion goniometer and self-report and performance measures, including Dizziness Handicap Inventory, Neck Disability Index, Neck Pain Intensity, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Cervicogenic dizziness patients demonstrated significant increases in classical posturography parameters (i.e., surface and length) and in power spectra values within middle and high-frequency interval depicting balance control alterations especially due to proprioceptive integration changes. Furthermore, decreases in degrees of cervical range of motion and increases of self-report and performance measures – highlighting significant complaints of subjective feeling of dizziness – were found in these patients when compared with healthy subjects. Multiple correlations were found between posturography testing and cervical range of motion and Dizziness Handicap Inventory as well as between different self-report and performance measures in cervicogenic dizziness patients. The implementation of posturography – including power spectra analysis - coupled with appropriate exclusion of other disorders, may represent a useful tool in improving cervicogenic dizziness assessment in terms of cost, time consumption and correlation with other measurements. Uncertainties in diagnostic assessment of cervicogenic dizziness reflect doubts regarding the causes underpinning the symptoms of imbalance, unsteadiness, and disorientation. Posturography measurement is a low-cost, time-sparing technique and its implementations have proven to be useful in detecting significant alterations in body sway during perturbating situations. Implementation of power spectra analysis on posturography testing may represent a useful tool in improving cervicogenic dizziness assessment also in terms of rehabilitative treatment follow-up. [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]

Objective: Evaluating postural function in patients with otosclerosis by assessing otoneurological function and balance-related quality of life before and 6 weeks after surgical treatment. Correlations between and clinical features were investigated.Methods: Thirty-three patients affected by otosclerosis underwent otoneurological examination, video Head Impulse Test (vHIT), and static posturography before and after stapedotomy. Quality of life and dizziness-related handicap were screened by means of validated questionnaires. Correlation analysis was performed in order to discover possible relations with audiological pre- and postoperative parameters.Results: A significant improvement in posturographic parameters was found. Correlation analysis yielded a negative correlation between preoperative bone conduction auditory threshold and both vHIT scores and postural performance improvement, evaluated by spectral analysis. Moreover, a positive correlation was also found between improvements in posturographic scores and quality-of-life questionnaires.Conclusion: The study results demonstrated an improvement in postural function and self-reported measures in a cohort of patients with otosclerosis 6 weeks after stapedotomy. The inverse correlation with preoperative auditory levels may reflect lesser chance for balance restoration in cases with worse sensorineural function. Possible implications for daily activities and overall quality of life were suggested by improved self-report questionnaire results.Level Of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 130:2448-2454, 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to outline an age-dependent range of posturography measures obtained from healthy children. One hundred and fifty healthy 4-18-year-old children underwent video Head Impulse Test and static posturography testing. Surface, length and power spectra values were compared between each group of pupils and 32 healthy adults. As well as a significant (p < 0.025) increase in surface and length, when compared to healthy adults, increased values within the low/middle frequency domain and within the high frequency domain were also observed in 4-13 and 4-7-year-old children, respectively. In conclusion, although the nature of postural control development remains largely undetermined, this study represents a first attempt to outline an age-dependent normal range of the relative contribution of inputs in typically developing children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]