Vestibular implant to help people with severe balance problems improve orientation and thinking
Official title: Vestibular implant tested in patients with peripheral vestibular damage: effects on spatial orientation, navigation, and neuropsychologic function
Funded at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary · NIH-11594349 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A vestibular implant is being tested in adults with severe vestibular damage to see if long-term stimulation can improve spatial orientation, navigation, and related cognitive functions.
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 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $112,008 |
| NIH project number | 3R01DC021981-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11594349 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with severe bilateral vestibular damage, or significant vestibular impairment, who may benefit from vestibular implant stimulation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without vestibular damage or who cannot undergo implant-based stimulation may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will test whether a vestibular implant can help people with significant vestibular damage by influencing higher-level tasks like knowing where you are in space and moving around. Researchers will compare implanted patients to non-implanted patients with varying vestibular impairment to understand the effect of stimulation on cognition and behavior. The study will build on prior work with vestibular implants, expanding our knowledge of how vestibular signals contribute to thinking and daily navigation. Outcomes will include cognitive and neuropsychological measures as well as subjective experiences of balance and dizziness.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the implant could improve balance-related cognition and daily navigation for people with severe vestibular damage.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies with vestibular implants have shown improvements in eye movements and balance; this study extends to cognition and navigation.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lewis, Richard F — Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
- Study coordinator: Lewis, Richard F
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.