Brief vision interruptions to boost balance
"Intermittent Visual Perturbations to Enhance Balance Training"
This project uses short, intermittent blocks of blocked vision during balance exercises to help older adults and others improve balance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11330641 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would do dynamic balance exercises while your vision is briefly and repeatedly blocked for short periods. Researchers will compare how younger and older adults respond and will record brain activity using a portable high-density EEG cap during training. They will also try different timing schedules for the brief vision interruptions to find which works best. The goal is to see whether adding these vision breaks makes balance practice more effective and longer lasting.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults or others with balance difficulties who can safely stand and perform dynamic balance exercises and attend in-person sessions.
Not a fit: People who cannot stand or safely perform balance tasks, have unstable medical problems, severe visual impairments that prevent the intervention, or who cannot tolerate EEG equipment may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make balance training much more effective and longer lasting, lowering fall risk for older adults and people with balance-impairing conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Small prior studies have shown intermittent visual occlusions can substantially improve balance training, but combining age comparisons, timing tests, and mobile high-density EEG is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ferris, Daniel P — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Ferris, Daniel P
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.