Dynamic posturography in humans imagining a fixed spatial reference.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of imagining a fixed spatial reference on balance control.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Twenty-one healthy subjects were asked to remain as stable as possible while standing on a sway-referenced platform (NeuroCom Equitest posturography system). Subjects were instructed to keep their eyes open in the dark and to either look far into the distance without fixating on any particular point in space or to direct their gaze towards a remembered earth-fixed target (25-cm distant). Room lights were switched off immediately before each 20-s sway recording. Postural stability measures included equilibrium scores and root-mean-square sway amplitudes in the anterior-posterior plane.

RESULTS

Postural sway was not influenced by the instruction to gaze towards a remembered target.

CONCLUSION

Imagining a fixed spatial reference does not influence postural control, at least during sway-referenced dynamic posturography.