Impact of vestibular lesion location on virtual reality therapy outcomes

Effect of Peripheral Vestibular Pathology Location on the Ability of Home-based Virtual Reality to Improve Symptoms of Peripheral Vestibular Disorders

Not applicable Interventional University of British Columbia · NCT05424302

This study is testing how the location of inner ear damage affects the success of virtual reality therapy for people with balance problems.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment50 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of British Columbia Academic / other
Locations1 site (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Trial IDNCT05424302 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This randomized controlled trial investigates how the location of lesions in the vestibular system affects the effectiveness of home-based virtual reality therapy for patients with peripheral vestibular disorders. Fifty patients will be recruited and randomly assigned to receive either standard vestibular rehabilitation with virtual reality therapy or a control intervention. Participants will complete symptom questionnaires before and after the intervention period of 4 to 8 weeks. The study aims to personalize vestibular rehabilitation based on lesion location and assess any adverse effects of the virtual reality therapy.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include adults aged 18 and older with chronic unilateral or bilateral peripheral vestibular disorders diagnosed through specific vestibular testing.

Not a fit: Patients with central vestibular disorders or those who are pregnant may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could enhance the effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation by tailoring therapy based on the specific location of vestibular lesions.

How similar studies have performed: While the use of virtual reality in vestibular rehabilitation is emerging, this specific approach focusing on lesion location is novel and has not been extensively tested in prior studies.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Participants diagnosed with chronic (≥3 months) unilateral or bilateral peripheral vestibular disorders such as vestibular neuritis, labyrinthitis, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, ischemic lesion and trauma.
* Diagnosis made using caloric testing (≥25% reduced vestibular response) and either ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) or cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) testing.
* Participants prescribed vestibular rehabilitation
* Participants ≥18 years of age
* Access to an android or iOS smart phone

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant participants
* Participant diagnosed with a central vestibular disorder

Where this trial is running

Vancouver, British Columbia

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Peripheral Vestibular DisorderBenign Paroxysmal Positional VertigoMeniere DiseaseVestibular NeuritisVestibular NeuronitisLabyrinthitisHerpes Zoster OticusVirtual reality
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.