Objective: To assess the benefits of vestibular rehabilitation using virtual reality technology through pre and post application of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) in patients with dominant spinocerebellar ataxia.

Background: Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative diseases that are characterized by the presence of progressive cerebellar ataxia, with its initial clinical manifestations being deterioration in balance coordination and eye disorders. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) has been shown to act physiologically on the vestibular system, making it a therapeutic resource due to its proposed action to achieve vestibular compensation based on central mechanisms of neuroplasticity known as adaptation, habituation and substitution. The benefits associated with this treatment, described in the literature, include the correction of balance and posture, improvement in the mobility and functionality of upper and lower limbs, and positive motivation for the patient during the exercises.

Methods: We evaluated 10 patients (seven men and three women), between 29 and 65 years of age, from March to September 2015. The patients were submitted to the following: medical history, otological inspection, vestibular evaluation and application of DHI and BBS before and after VRT using virtual reality on Wii Fit equipment.

Results: Correlating the results of the analysis, it was observed that: a) 70% of patients showed improvement in dizziness issues (DHI); b) 90% showed satisfactory results regarding independence and performance of functional balance (BBS); and C) 30% of the patients reported pain during the rehabilitation period.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated the possibility of application of VRT exercises with virtual stimuli for subjects with SCA, demonstrating improved coordination of movements and postural balance. Therefore, the improvement can be attributed to the central structures that operate in neuroplasticity, and in this way, enhance the natural compensation mechanisms in the central nervous system, thus demonstrating the importance of this therapy in the performance of daily activities for patients with SCA.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/clinical-benefits-of-vestibular-rehabilitation-in-neurodegenerative-diseases/