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Using Unidirectional Rotations to Improve Vestibular System Asymmetry in Patients with Vestibular Dysfunction
Published on: August 30, 2019
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Treatment of peripheral vestibular dysfunction using photobiomodulation.
Min Young Lee1, Jai-Hwan Hyun1, Myung-Whan Suh2
1Dankook University College of Medicine, Department Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Beckman, Republic of Korea.
Journal of Biomedical Optics
|August 31, 2017
Summary
Photobiomodulation therapy can protect against gentamicin-induced vestibular toxicity. This laser treatment improved balance function and inner ear hair cell health in a rat model, offering hope for vertigo treatment.
Area of Science:
- Oto-neurology
- Photomedicine
- Vestibular Science
Background:
- Gentamicin is a common antibiotic with known ototoxic effects, leading to vestibular dysfunction and balance problems.
- Photobiomodulation (PBM) shows potential for treating inner ear conditions, including vertigo, due to its therapeutic effects on cochlear function.
- Limited research exists on PBM's efficacy in mitigating vestibular toxicity and restoring balance function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the therapeutic effects of photobiomodulation on gentamicin-induced vestibular toxicity in a rat model.
- To evaluate PBM's impact on both functional balance and the histopathological integrity of the inner ear's vestibular system.
Main Methods:
- Rats were treated with gentamicin to induce vestibulopathy, with one group receiving additional laser photobiomodulation therapy.
- Functional assessment involved slow harmonic acceleration (SHA) rotating platform testing to measure balance.
- Epifluorescence microscopy was used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of cupula histopathology, focusing on hair cell density.
Main Results:
- Gentamicin treatment significantly impaired vestibular function in both ears, evidenced by reduced gain and lack of SHA asymmetry.
- Photobiomodulation treatment in the affected ear mitigated gentamicin's ototoxicity, restoring SHA asymmetry and improving functional gain.
- Histopathological analysis corroborated functional findings, revealing increased hair cell density and epifluorescence intensity in laser-treated vestibular tissues.
Conclusions:
- Photobiomodulation demonstrates a protective effect against gentamicin-induced vestibular toxicity.
- PBM therapy can restore vestibular function and preserve inner ear histopathology, suggesting its potential as a treatment for vertigo and balance disorders.
