State and Trait Anxiety Alter Postural Control in Healthy Adults

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Human Physiology

Background:

• Anxiety and visual motion sensitivity affect sensory integration and balance control.
• State Trait Anxiety Inventory subscales measure distinct anxiety aspects with potential differential brain mapping and functional implications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify the role of state and trait anxiety in postural control within degraded sensory environments.
• To investigate how state anxiety influences the effects of visual and somatosensory manipulations on balance in healthy adults.

Main Methods:

• Prospective repeated-measures design with 26 healthy adults.
• Postural control measured on variable surfaces and in virtual visual environments.
• Trait anxiety measured pre-test; state anxiety measured during testing using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory.

Main Results:

• Visual condition significantly affected postural control.
• A significant interaction between visual condition and support surface was observed.
• The impact of visual manipulations on balance varied by support surface, even after accounting for state anxiety.

Conclusions:

• Visual manipulation's effect on postural control depends on support surface and state anxiety levels.
• Higher state anxiety may prompt different postural control strategies.
• Anxiety's influence on balance can vary with sensory context and individual traits, potentially altering sensory processing in healthy adults.