TY  - JOUR
A1  - Wiesmeier, Isabella K.
A1  - Dalin, Daniela
A1  - Wehrle, Anja
A1  - Granacher, Urs
A1  - Muehlbauer, Thomas
A1  - Dietterle, Jörg
A1  - Weiller, Cornelius
A1  - Gollhofer, Albert
A1  - Maurer, Christoph
T1  - Balance training enhances vestibular function and reduces overactive proprioceptive feedback in elderly
JF  - Frontiers in aging neuroscience
N2  - Objectives: Postural control in elderly people is impaired by degradations of sensory, motor, and higher-level adaptive mechanisms. Here, we characterize the effects of a progressive balance training programon these postural control impairments using a brain network model based on system identification techniques. Methods and Material: We analyzed postural control of 35 healthy elderly subjects and compared findings to data from 35 healthy young volunteers. Eighteen elderly subjects performed a 10 week balance training conducted twice per week. Balance training was carried out in static and dynamic movement states, on support surfaces with different elastic compliances, under different visual conditions and motor tasks. Postural control was characterized by spontaneous sway and postural reactions to pseudorandom anterior-posterior tilts of the support surface. Data were interpreted using a parameter identification procedure based on a brain network model. Conclusion: Balance training reduced overactive proprioceptive feedback and restored vestibular orientation in elderly. Based on the assumption of a linear deterioration of postural control across the life span, the training effect can be extrapolated as a juvenescence of 10 years. This study points to a considerable benefit of a continuous balance training in elderly, even without any sensorimotor deficits.
KW  - age
KW  - balance
KW  - vestibular
KW  - proprioception
KW  - training
Y1  - 2017
U6  - https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00273
SN  - 1663-4365
VL  - 9
PB  - Frontiers Research Foundation
CY  - Lausanne
ER  -