The effects of diabetes and/or peripheral neuropathy in detecting short postural perturbations in mature adults

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: George Fulk, Emory University; Charles J. Robinson, Clarkson University; Sumona Mondal, Clarkson University; Christopher M. Storey, Louisiana State University; Anne M. Hollister, Louisiana State University
• Language: English
• Date: 2010-09-16
• Publisher: BMC
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2010 Fulk et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-7-44
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 44
• End Page: 44
• Grant/Funding Information: Funding from the State of Louisiana Board of Regents Fellowship; Merit Review grants from VA Rehabilitation R&D Service Grants #E91-355AP, #E2143PC, #E01-2097R, a VA Senior Rehabilitation Research Career Scientist Award to CJR, and NIH NIA grant R01 AG026553.
• Keywords: Algorithms; Analysis of Variance; Physical Stimulation; Middle Aged; Diabetic Neuropathies; Postural Balance; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Sensory Thresholds; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Humans; Aged; Psychophysics; Male; Electromyography; Acceleration; Lower Extremity; Sensation; Posture; Female; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; Biomechanical Phenomena
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Nutrition; Health Sciences, Pathology; Biology, Neuroscience

Abstract

Background. This study explored the effects of diabetes mellitus (DM) and peripheral neuropathy (PN) on the ability to detect near-threshold postural perturbations. Methods. 83 subjects participated; 32 with type II DM (25 with PN and 7 without PN), 19 with PN without DM, and 32 without DM or PN. Peak acceleration thresholds for detecting anterior platform translations of 1 mm, 4 mm, and 16 mm displacements were determined. A 2(DM) × 2(PN) factorial MANCOVA with weight as a covariate was calculated to compare acceleration detection thresholds among subjects who had DM or did not and who had PN or did not. Results. There was a main effect for DM but not for PN. Post hoc analysis revealed that subjects with DM required higher accelerations to detect a 1 mm and 4 mm displacement. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that PN may not be the only cause of impaired balance in people with DM. Clinicians should be aware that diabetes itself might negatively impact the postural control system.