The sex effect on balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks with/without vestibular simulations: implication for sensorimotor training for future space missions
Background: Anatomical differences between sexes in the vestibular system have been reported. It has also been demonstrated that there is a sex difference in balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks. In 2024, NASA expects to send the first female to the Moon. Therefore, to extend...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2023.1298672/full |
| _version_ | 1797362550518579200 |
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| author | Li Zhang Chao Qin Jung Hung Chien |
| author_facet | Li Zhang Chao Qin Jung Hung Chien |
| author_sort | Li Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Anatomical differences between sexes in the vestibular system have been reported. It has also been demonstrated that there is a sex difference in balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks. In 2024, NASA expects to send the first female to the Moon. Therefore, to extend the current knowledge, this study attempted to examine whether different sexes respond differently to vestibular-disrupted and vestibular-demanding environments.Method: A total of fifteen males and fifteen females participated in this study. The vestibular function was quantified through different SOT conditions (SOT1: baseline; SOT5: vestibular demanding by standing with blindfolded and sway reference surface). The vestibular stimulation (VS) was applied either unilaterally or bilaterally to vestibular system to induce the sensory-conflicted and challenging tasks. Thus, a total of 6 conditions (2 SOT conditions X 3 VSs: no-VS, unilateral VS, and bilateral VS) were randomly given to these participants. Three approaches can be quantified the balance control: 1) the performance ratio (PR) of center of gravity trajectories (CoG), 2) the sample entropy measure (SampEn) of CoG, and 3) the total traveling distance of CoG. A mixed three-way repeated ANOVA measure was used to determine the interaction among the sex effect, the effect of SOT, and the effect of VS on balance control.Results: A significant sex effect on balance control was found in the PR of CoG in the anterior-posterior (AP) direction (p = 0.026) and in the SampEn of CoG in both AP and medial-lateral (ML) directions (p = 0.025, p < 0.001, respectively). Also, a significant interaction among the sex effect, the effect of SOT, and the effect of VS on balance control was observed in PR of CoG in the ML direction (p < 0.001), SampEn of CoG in the AP and ML directions (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, respectively), and a traveling distance in AP direction (p = 0.041).Conclusion: The findings in the present study clearly revealed the necessity to take sex effect into consideration while standing in vestibular-perturbed or/and vestibular demanding tasks. Also, the results in the present study could be a fundamental reference for future sensorimotor training. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:08:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8ab154f39d6e42cd9c82b6f72d6ec736 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:08:30Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-8ab154f39d6e42cd9c82b6f72d6ec7362024-01-08T04:22:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2024-01-011410.3389/fphys.2023.12986721298672The sex effect on balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks with/without vestibular simulations: implication for sensorimotor training for future space missionsLi Zhang0Chao Qin1Jung Hung Chien2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, ChinaIndependent Researcher, Omaha, NE, United StatesBackground: Anatomical differences between sexes in the vestibular system have been reported. It has also been demonstrated that there is a sex difference in balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks. In 2024, NASA expects to send the first female to the Moon. Therefore, to extend the current knowledge, this study attempted to examine whether different sexes respond differently to vestibular-disrupted and vestibular-demanding environments.Method: A total of fifteen males and fifteen females participated in this study. The vestibular function was quantified through different SOT conditions (SOT1: baseline; SOT5: vestibular demanding by standing with blindfolded and sway reference surface). The vestibular stimulation (VS) was applied either unilaterally or bilaterally to vestibular system to induce the sensory-conflicted and challenging tasks. Thus, a total of 6 conditions (2 SOT conditions X 3 VSs: no-VS, unilateral VS, and bilateral VS) were randomly given to these participants. Three approaches can be quantified the balance control: 1) the performance ratio (PR) of center of gravity trajectories (CoG), 2) the sample entropy measure (SampEn) of CoG, and 3) the total traveling distance of CoG. A mixed three-way repeated ANOVA measure was used to determine the interaction among the sex effect, the effect of SOT, and the effect of VS on balance control.Results: A significant sex effect on balance control was found in the PR of CoG in the anterior-posterior (AP) direction (p = 0.026) and in the SampEn of CoG in both AP and medial-lateral (ML) directions (p = 0.025, p < 0.001, respectively). Also, a significant interaction among the sex effect, the effect of SOT, and the effect of VS on balance control was observed in PR of CoG in the ML direction (p < 0.001), SampEn of CoG in the AP and ML directions (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, respectively), and a traveling distance in AP direction (p = 0.041).Conclusion: The findings in the present study clearly revealed the necessity to take sex effect into consideration while standing in vestibular-perturbed or/and vestibular demanding tasks. Also, the results in the present study could be a fundamental reference for future sensorimotor training.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2023.1298672/fullvestibular stimulationsensory organization testbalance controlstandingmastoid vibration |
| spellingShingle | Li Zhang Chao Qin Jung Hung Chien The sex effect on balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks with/without vestibular simulations: implication for sensorimotor training for future space missions Frontiers in Physiology vestibular stimulation sensory organization test balance control standing mastoid vibration |
| title | The sex effect on balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks with/without vestibular simulations: implication for sensorimotor training for future space missions |
| title_full | The sex effect on balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks with/without vestibular simulations: implication for sensorimotor training for future space missions |
| title_fullStr | The sex effect on balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks with/without vestibular simulations: implication for sensorimotor training for future space missions |
| title_full_unstemmed | The sex effect on balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks with/without vestibular simulations: implication for sensorimotor training for future space missions |
| title_short | The sex effect on balance control while standing on vestibular-demanding tasks with/without vestibular simulations: implication for sensorimotor training for future space missions |
| title_sort | sex effect on balance control while standing on vestibular demanding tasks with without vestibular simulations implication for sensorimotor training for future space missions |
| topic | vestibular stimulation sensory organization test balance control standing mastoid vibration |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2023.1298672/full |
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