Effects Of Mental Imagery Along With Vestibular Rehabilitation On Young Adults With Vestibular Hypofunction (EMI)

Riphah International University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Vestibular Hypofunction

Treatments: Other: mental imagery; Other: cawthorne cooksey exercise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07064096

Sulman amjad

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of the study is to determine the effects of cawthorne cooksey exercises with addition of mental imagery on vertigo,dizziness and balance in young adults with vestibular hypofunctionThe study will be randomized control trial including 2 experimental groups with estimated 22 participants in each group.

Full description

The vestibular system detects motion of the head in space and in turn generates reflexes that are crucial for our daily activities, such as stabilizing the visual axis (gaze) and maintaining head and body posture. The vestibular system is comprised of two types of sensors: the two otolith organs (the saccule and utricle), which sense linear acceleration, and the three semicircular canals, which sense angular acceleration in three planes. The receptor cells of the otoliths and semicircular canals send signals through the vestibular nerve fibers to the neural structures that control eye movements, posture, and balance.

Vestibular hypofunction i.e. a unilateral or a bilateral vestibulopathy, is a heterogeneous disorder of the peripheral and/or rarely central vestibular system leading typically to disabling symptoms such as dizziness, imbalance, and/or oscillopsia.

Mental imagery (MI), also known as motor imagery or cognitive rehearsal, is the mental simulation of physical movement without actual execution. MI activates similar brain regions involved in physical movement and has been shown to improve motor performance, balance, and functional outcomes in various populations. However, its application in conjunction with vestibular rehabilitation for individuals with vestibular hypofunction remains underexplored.

This study aims to investigate the combined effect of mental imagery and vestibular rehabilitation exercises on balance, dizziness, and vertigo in young adults diagnosed with vestibular hypofunction. The intervention will involve a structured VR program integrated with guided mental imagery sessions targeting balance and gaze stabilization tasks.

Participants will be randomly assigned to two groups: one receiving only vestibular rehabilitation i.e cawthorne-cooksey exercises and the other receiving both VR and mental imagery training. Outcome measures such as the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Mini-BESTest (Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test and Vertigo Symptom Scale will be used to assess changes pre- and post-intervention.

This research intends to determine whether the addition of mental imagery enhances the efficacy of vestibular rehabilitation in restoring functional balance and reducing dizziness symptoms. The findings could contribute to developing more comprehensive and accessible rehabilitation strategies for managing vestibular disorders in young adults.

Enrollment: 44 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 40 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction
• Head thrust test positive
• Age group 20-40
• DHI score 16 above
• VSS score 11-30

Exclusion criteria

• With any other associated neurological disorder that effect vestibular rehabilitation
• Having bilateral vestibular hypofunction
• Patients having any other associated disease that affects balance or cause vertigo other that vestibular

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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44 participants in 2 patient groups

Conventional treatment

Active Comparator group

Description:

cawthorne cooksey exercises

Treatment:

Other: cawthorne cooksey exercise

participatory Group

Experimental group

Description:

cawthorne cooksey exercises in addition of mental imagery

Treatment:

Other: mental imagery