Parkinsonian Sensory Integration F O R Balance Control: T I M E Based Postural E F F E C T S of Alterations in Sensory Information

Changes in postural stability following sensory manipulation were investigated among Parkinson's disease patients and healthy older adults. Sixteen Parkinson's disease patients (PD; mean age 68.2 ± 2.7 years) and sixteen older adults (control; mean age 67.6 + 2.6 years) performed quiet standing trials that progressed through baseline, sensory manipulation, and reintegration. Postural control following visual deprivation was assessed following alternate removal and reinsertion of visual information. Postural recovery following sensory incongruence was assessed following the termination of visual, somatosensory, and visuosomatosensory incongruence. PD patients' balance was disrupted following visual deprivation, and was initially disrupted when visual information was returned. PD patients' postural recovery was comparable to control subjects when sensory incongruence ended. These findings indicate that situations of visual deprivation in particular are initially disruptive for PD patients, and imply initial difficulty for sensory reorgani2ation in these patients. Our results provide insight into environmental situations imposing greater fall risk among the parkinsonian population.