The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between perception of verticality and balance disorders in multiple sclerosis patients. We evaluated patients and healthy controls. Patients were divided into two groups according to their risk of fall, with or without risk of fall, measured by a Dynamic Gait Index scale. Graviceptive perception was assessed using the subjective visual vertical test. Patients with risk of fall showed worse perception than those without risk of fall, p < 0.001. Misperception of verticality was correlated with the dynamic gait index scores (p < 0.001), suggesting that the larger the error for verticality judgment, the greater risk for falling. Considering that the perception of verticality is essential for postural control, our results suggested that the disturbed processing of graviceptive pathways may be involved in the pathophysiology of balance disorders in these patients.
Aos pacientes e voluntários do estudo, um agradecimento especial pela confiança e respeito a este trabalho, que foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de melhor a prática de atendimento e cuidado aos pacientes com esclerose múltipla
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.