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The Use of the PoNS™ Device in the Treatment of Blunt and Blast Induced Vestibular Disorders

NCT01771575 · Status: WITHDRAWN · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Last updated 2020-09-10

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major worldwide health issue. Figures from the Centers for Disease control show that 1.7 million people suffer a TBI annually. Meanwhile the World Health Organization recognizes TBI as one of the most significant health issues in developing countries. In the military, mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is one of the most frequent sequela of modern war. Dizziness and balance disorders are the most frequent sequela of mTBI and account for a significant degree of mTBI morbidity. At the current time, the best treatment modality for dizziness secondary to mTBI is vestibular rehabilitation (VR). While VR is effective, the therapy is time consuming, not universally successful, and results in incomplete recovery by many patients. Work needs to be done in an attempt to improve therapy outcomes. This project will study the use of neuromodulation (through stimulation of the tongue) as an adjuvant to improve the effectiveness of VR and reduce the time involved in VR. Given past work with variants on this minimal medical impact appliance, using the PoNS™ device to augment therapy may result in a significant improvement in VR outcomes. Given the enormous public health and military burden of mTBI, and given that dizziness is a major component often responsible for significant morbidity, this project has significant military and civilian impact and can be beneficial to those who suffer mTBI worldwide.

Conditions

  • Hearing and Vestibular Disorders

Interventions

OTHER

Placebo device

Placebo device

DEVICE

PoNS™ device

The PoNS™ device uses electrotactile waveform in conjunction with the Cranial Nerve - Non-Invasive NeuroModulation (CN-NINM) intervention. This involves using both balance and gait training methods to stabilize symptoms, regain balance \& gait, and affect the functional transfer of improved stability and mobility to activities of daily living. It is based on a body of work focused on developing the tongue-based human-machine interface and application of this technology for balance, vision, and auditory substitution and more recently as neuromodulation for brain rehabilitation after injury and disease.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • The Geneva Foundation

    collaborator OTHER

  • United States Naval Medical Center, San Diego

    lead FED

Principal Investigators

  • Michael E. Hoffer, M.D. · United States Naval Medical Center, San Diego

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
40 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2013-07-31
Primary Completion
2014-09-30
Completion
2014-09-30

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01771575 on ClinicalTrials.gov