Using vestibular therapy to help reduce falls in Alzheimer's patients
Official title: Clinical trial of vestibular therapy to reduce falls in patients with Alzheimer's disease
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-10778569 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at whether vestibular therapy can help improve balance and reduce falls in people with Alzheimer's who have balance issues, and it involves 100 participants who will either receive therapy or take part in a different activity for eight weeks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | February 15, 2021 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $379,687 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG065259-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10778569 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults aged 21 and older who have been diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and exhibit signs of vestibular impairment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with severe Alzheimer's disease or those without vestibular impairment may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the effectiveness of vestibular therapy (VT) in improving balance and reducing falls among patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who experience vestibular impairment. The study involves a randomized controlled trial with 100 participants, where half will receive VT sessions once a week for eight weeks, while the other half will participate in an active control group. The goal is to determine if VT can significantly enhance balance and decrease the risk of falls, which are common and dangerous for individuals with AD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a new therapeutic approach that significantly reduces fall rates and improves quality of life for Alzheimer's patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that vestibular therapy is effective in improving balance in cognitively intact individuals, but this approach has not yet been tested specifically in Alzheimer's patients.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Agrawal, Yuri — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Agrawal, Yuri
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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.