Using gentle motion to retrain balance for people with double-sided vestibular loss
Official title: Subthreshold vestibular stimulation as a strategy for rehabilitation
Funded at Creighton University · NIH-11249566 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Very small, barely noticeable head motions are being used to retrain the balance system and reduce dizziness and instability in adults with vestibular loss on both sides.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Creighton University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 5R00DC020759-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11249566 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and older with a clinical diagnosis of bilateral vestibular hypofunction who can attend clinic visits and tolerate brief, gentle head motion are the best candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with unilateral vestibular loss, central nervous system causes of dizziness, active inner-ear infection, or those unable to tolerate head movements are unlikely to benefit from this specific intervention.
What this research studies
You would receive short sessions of very low-amplitude self-motion (subthreshold head movements) aimed at making the brain more responsive to motion. Clinicians will measure your sensitivity to motion, balance performance, visual stability, and dizziness symptoms before and after stimulation and at follow-up visits. Sessions are delivered in a clinic setting with guided movements or device-generated motion and include standard balance tests and questionnaires. The goal is that repeated subthreshold stimulation will encourage the damaged vestibular system to regain responsiveness and improve everyday stability.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce dizziness, improve balance, and lower the risk of falls for people with bilateral vestibular hypofunction.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior small studies using low-level or noisy vestibular stimulation have shown modest benefits, but using subthreshold self-motion to trigger homeostatic plasticity in bilateral vestibular loss is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Creighton University
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wagner, Andrew Raymond — Creighton University
- Study coordinator: Wagner, Andrew Raymond
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.