Improvement of Gaze Control After Balance and Eye Movement Training in Patients With Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Quasi-Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract
Zampieri C, Di Fabio RP. Improvement of gaze control after balance and eye movement training in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy: a quasi-randomized controlled trial.
Objective
One of the main oculomotor findings in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is the inability to saccade downward. In addition, people with PSP have difficulty suppressing fixation, which may contribute to vertical gaze palsy. The objective was to investigate the effectiveness of a rehabilitation intervention tailored to enhance suppression of fixation and gaze shift in participants with PSP.
Design
Controlled trial with a quasi-randomized design. Measures occurred at week 1 and 5. Researchers assessing participants were blind to the group assignments.
Setting
Movement disorders assessment laboratory.
Participants
Nineteen adults with possible or probable PSP who were ambulatory for short distances and had far visual acuity of 20/80 and a Folstein Mini-Mental State score of more than 23.
Interventions
Balance training complemented with eye movement and visual awareness exercises was compared with balance training alone.
Main Outcome Measures
Gaze control was assessed using a vertical Gaze Fixation Score and a Gaze Error Index.
Results
Gaze control after the balance plus eye exercise significantly improved, whereas no significant improvement was observed for the group that received balance training alone.
Conclusions
These preliminary findings support the use of balance and eye movement exercises to improve gaze control in PSP.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Correspondence to Cris Zampieri, PhD, PT, 22 S. Greene St, Room N4W56, Baltimore, MD, 21201
Supported by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (grant no. H133G030159).
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.
ABSTRACT