The aim of this experiment is to gain a better understanding of the body movement patterns of patients with balance disorders (following damage to the vestibular system), as well as their cognitive performance profile. To achieve this, we will need to assess the performance of both patients and healthy subjects with no balance disorders. We will be using a newly-developed artificial intelligence tool to analyze body movement patterns on the basis of participants' videos, and we will also be evaluating participants' performance in a few simple tests of reaction times to image presentations on computer and/or tablet/smartphone. If you agree to take part in this experiment, you will be asked to perform a simple walking exercise in a corridor (filmed and supervised by a physiotherapist) as well as a few objective cognitive measurement tests (reaction time to attentional and vigilance tasks on computer and/or tablet/smartphone) and subjective tests (self-reported questionnaires) requiring around 40 minutes of investigation in total. In the long term, the results of this research will make it easier to assess balance disorders in patients with vestibular pathology, and better quantify any cognitive difficulties they may have.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
100
To evaluate walking abilities, participants performed the Timed-Up \& Go (TUG) f our times (practice trial, normal, slow and fast speed). Patient's performances are videorecorded with an Intel RealSense depth camera D435i to capture their movements, and manual time recording of time taken (in seconds) and number of steps are carried out by the experimenters. Complementary to manual experimenter recording, a 2D human pose estimation method (OpenTUG) is applied to automatically extract the time and the number of steps taken by the participant during the TUG task.
Neuropsychological evaluation assess attention (Test for Attentional Performance -TAP-) and quality-of-life (DHI, HADS, and NVI).
Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc
Brussels, Belgium
Neuropsychological measures
evaluation to assess attention (Test for Attentional Performance -TAP-) Alertness and Divided attention tasks. Median reaction time and standard deviation of the median (regularity) are record in milliseconds. Slow reaction times and large standard deviations indicate more difficulties.
Time frame: Through the entire study, approximately 24 months
Neuropsychological measures
evaluation to assess quality-of-life (DHI -Dizziness Handicap Inventory, Jacobson \& Newman, 1990, Demanez 1991) 25-items, each scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Covering three main areas of difficulties: functional, physical, and emotional aspects related to dizziness and instability. Higher scores = higher complains
Time frame: Through the entire study, approximately 24 months
Neuropsychological measures
evaluation to assess quality-of-life (Anxiety and depression symptoms, measured with the French version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (Zigmond \& Snaith, 1983), using a 14-item self-assessed questionnaire, each with a 4-point response Likert scale. Higher scores = higher complains
Time frame: Through the entire study, approximately 24 months
Neuropsychological measures
evaluation to assess subjective perception of cognitive difficulties associated to vertigo with the Neuropsychological Vertigo Inventory - NVI (Lacroix et al., 2016), using 28-items, each scored on a 5-point Likert scale and divided into 7 distinct subscales measuring attention, memory, emotion, space perception, time perception, vision, and motor abilities. Higher scores = higher complains
Time frame: Through the entire study, approximately 24 months
Walking activity
Participants performed the Timed-Up \& Go (TUG) four times (practice trial, normal, slow and fast speed). They have to stand up from a chair, walk until a line on the ground marked at 3 meters, turn, go back to the chair, and sit down again. The time is recorded. There is no time limit to the task.
Time frame: Through the entire study, approximately 24 months
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