Hemifacial spasm and postural abnormalities; clinical and posturographical analyses.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Movement Disorders
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Hemifacial spasm (HFS) involves involuntary facial muscle contractions.
• Co-occurring motor and non-motor symptoms are noted in HFS patients.
• Postural abnormalities in HFS have not been previously reported.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and characterize postural abnormalities in patients with hemifacial spasm.
• To compare balance and gait in HFS patients versus healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional, controlled study involving 15 HFS patients and 15 age/sex-matched controls.
• Evaluations included the Tinetti Balance and Gait Test (TBGT) and static posturography.
• Fourier analysis was used to assess postural sway in various conditions.

Main Results:

• HFS patients exhibited significantly lower total and balance TBGT scores.
• A higher proportion of HFS patients (40%) were at high risk of falling.
• Posturography revealed significant differences in stability indices and frequency analyses, particularly with head movements.

Conclusions:

• Hemifacial spasm patients demonstrate impaired balance and increased falling risk compared to controls.
• Postural abnormalities in HFS can be identified through both clinical assessments and objective posturographic measures.
• These findings highlight the broader impact of HFS on motor control beyond facial muscles.