Fear of heights shapes postural responses to vibration-induced balance perturbation at virtual height.

Introduction: Standing upright at height is a challenging situation involving intense threat of balance loss and fall. The ability to maintain balance in such conditions requires properly resolving sensory conflicts and is influenced by fear. To get more insight on the role of fear in balance control at height, we explored the dynamics of postural behavior in the situation of enhanced threat of potential balance loss.

Influence of vision on gait initiation and first step kinematics in young and older adults.

The study investigated whether anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) of gait initiation and kinematics of the first step are modified with absence of vision in relation to age. Twenty-two young and twenty-two older subjects initiated a self-paced gait with the vision available and deprived. APAs were measured by: (1) force platform and evaluated by maximal amplitude of the center of pressure (CoP) displacements; (2) two inertial sensors attached to the trunk and evaluated by maximal accelerations.

The Effects of Virtual Height Exposure on Postural Control and Psychophysiological Stress Are Moderated by Individual Height Intolerance.

Virtual reality (VR) enables individuals to be exposed to naturalistic environments in laboratory settings, offering new possibilities for research in human neuroscience and treatment of mental disorders. We used VR to study psychological, autonomic and postural reactions to heights in individuals with varying intensity of fear of heights. Study participants ( = 42) were immersed in a VR of an unprotected open-air elevator platform in an urban area, while standing on an unstable ground.

Age-Related Changes of the Anticipatory Postural Adjustments During Gait Initiation Preceded by Vibration of Lower Leg Muscles.

Gait initiation (GI) challenges the balance control system, especially in the elderly. To date, however, there is no consensus about the age effect on the anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs). There is also a lack of research on APAs in older adults after proprioceptive perturbation in the sagittal plane.