This study investigated whether haptic contact modulates vestibular-induced self-motion perception and reduces perceptual errors caused by asymmetric vestibular stimulation. Fifteen healthy right-handed participants underwent asymmetric sinusoidal whole-body rotations about the vertical axis in darkness, consisting of half-cycles with equal amplitudes but different velocities, a paradigm known to induce errors in...
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Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Findings are preliminary (N=15, healthy subjects only); no actionable change to vestibular rehabilitation practice is warranted until replicated in larger or clinical populations.
If haptic input reliably corrects vestibular misperception, it could open a low-tech adjunct avenue for balance rehabilitation and vestibular disorder management.
- 0115 healthy participants underwent experimental vestibular stimulation with and without haptic contact.
- 02Haptic signals significantly enhanced self-motion perception accuracy.
- 03Haptic contact reduced perceptual errors arising from asymmetric vestibular stimulation.
- 04Study is limited to healthy subjects; clinical generalisability is unconfirmed.
- 05Findings support multisensory integration models of balance and motion perception.
Haptic signals enhance vestibular self-motion perception in healthy participants.
studypartially supportedHaptic contact reduces perceptual errors caused by asymmetric vestibular stimulation.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42541566
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00221-026-07360-4.
- Journal
- Experimental Brain Research
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 4
- Sample size
- 15
- Population
- Healthy adult participants
- Intervention
- Haptic contact during vestibular stimulation
- Comparator
- No haptic contact (vestibular stimulation alone)
Primary outcomes
Vestibular self-motion perception accuracy; Frequency and magnitude of vestibular misperception errors