Balance Adaptation Tasks for Postural Balance
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This study will investigate how communication between the cerebellum and cerebral cortex contributes to balance control and adaptation in younger and older adults.
The study will enroll healthy younger adults ages 21-35 years and older adults ages 65-95 years. Participants will complete a single testing session that includes clinical balance assessments, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and reactive balance testing using an instrumented treadmill.
Cerebello-cortical connectivity will be measured before and after reactive balance testing using cerebellar brain inhibition (CBI) and the cerebellar TMS-evoked potential P80. The study will examine how these measures relate to cortical activity, balance recovery, and adaptation across repeated perturbations, and whether these relationships differ between younger and older adults.
Who Is on the Research Team?
Jacqueline Palmer, PT, DPT, PhD
Principal Investigator
University of Minnesota
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for healthy adults aged 21-35 or 65-95 years old. Participants should not have any neurological disorders, major health issues, or conditions that could affect brain stimulation or balance testing.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Reactive Balance Adaptation Task
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Assessment
Trial Overview
The study tests how the brain and cerebellum communicate during balance tasks using non-invasive techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), EEG, EMG, and treadmill-based balance challenges in one session.
How Is the Trial Designed?
1
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
All participants will undergo clinical balance assessments followed by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and TMS-EEG measurements before and after a single session of reactive balance testing. Reactive balance testing will involve support-surface perturbations delivered using an instrumented treadmill. Younger and older adults will undergo the same procedures, allowing comparison of cerebello-cortical connectivity and balance adaptation between age groups.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Minnesota
Lead Sponsor
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Collaborator
Unbiased Results
We believe in providing patients with all the options.
Your Data Stays Your Data
We only share your information with the clinical trials you're trying to access.
Verified Trials Only
All of our trials are run by licensed doctors, researchers, and healthcare companies.