Tiny electrical stimulation to improve balance and walking in older adults with vestibular loss
Official title: Novel Neuromodulation Treatment of Age Related Vestibular Loss to Improve Balance and Gait in Elderly Individuals
Funded at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary · NIH-11181662 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work uses very low, barely noticeable electrical pulses to the inner ear balance system to help older adults with age-related vestibular loss walk steadier and reduce falls.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $272,155 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG073161-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11181662 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults with age-related vestibular hypofunction or chronic balance and gait problems who can travel to clinic visits and tolerate mild electrical stimulation would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People whose balance problems are mainly due to non-vestibular causes (for example severe peripheral neuropathy or advanced neurodegenerative disease), those with incompatible implanted devices, or those who cannot undergo electrical stimulation may not receive benefit.
What this research studies
You would have small electrodes deliver very low, random electrical pulses to the vestibular system (the inner-ear balance nerves) over a sustained period. The research team will measure your balance and gait with clinical tests and sensors before, during, and after the stimulation. Stimulation levels are set below the level you can feel and are intended to enhance natural balance signals rather than replace them. The goal is to find safe settings and see whether these changes lead to lasting improvements in walking and stability for older adults with vestibular hypofunction.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a safe, non-drug option to improve balance and walking and lower fall risk in older adults with vestibular loss.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier small studies, including work by this team, reported improvements in vestibular reflexes, balance, and gait with similar low-level random electrical stimulation, though long-term benefit still needs confirmation.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Serrador, Jorge M. — Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
- Study coordinator: Serrador, Jorge M.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Movement-Enhanced Walking Training to Improve Balance After Stroke
A specialized treadmill training using a cable-driven device, called Movement Amplification Environment (MAE), helps people with chronic stroke improve walking balance by enhancing their own movement awareness.
-
Improving How the Great Toe Works and Its Link to Walking and Balance in Older Adults
Researchers are testing new ways to measure how the big toe functions and how that relates to walking balance in adults, with a focus on older individuals.
-
Teleassessment of gait and balance after stroke to expand remote rehabilitation
A multi-site study tests simple remote gait and balance tests for stroke survivors to enable safer, easier rehabilitation from home.
-
Improving balance and walking in older adults with gentle vestibular electrical stimulation
This uses very small, nearly unnoticeable electrical pulses to the balance system to help balance and walking in older adults with age-related vestibular loss.
-
Movement-amplifying treadmill training to improve walking balance after stroke
This project uses a treadmill system that gently amplifies side-to-side movements to help people with chronic stroke improve their walking balance.
-
Enhancing Veterans’ Post-COVID Mobility with a Cognitive-Sensorimotor Gait Framework
A study to understand why some veterans have persistent gait and balance problems after COVID-19 and how cognitive and sensory factors contribute to mobility issues.
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.