Novel Neuromodulation Treatment of Age Related Vestibular Loss to Improve Balance and Gait in Elderly Individuals

Abstract Loss of neural function is a common problem with aging and disease. To treat this loss, current neural stimulators have used various forms of stimulation that putatively activate neurons to elicit neuromodulation. Generally these stimulators rely on a fixed frequency and amplitude stimulus. Recently, we have found that subperceptual levels of random electrical stimulation applied to the vestibular system produce improvements in vestibular-mediated reflex function, balance and gait demonstrating the use of low levels of electrical stimulation to enhance the natural neural signaling of the vestibular system without exogenous stimulus. The goal of this present work is to demonstrate the sustained improvement of balance and gait by applying low levels of random electrical stimulation to the vestibular system of elderly individuals with vestibular hypofunction. We hypothesize that elderly participants will display functional improvement with sustained low levels of random electrical stimulation. This work will establish parameters for viable treatment of age related vestibular loss in elderly individuals using safe and effective amounts of electrical stimulation.