A characteristic pattern in the postural sway of unilateral vestibular impaired patients

• A segment time–frequency analysis.
• The maximum entropy method.
• Unilateral vestibular disorder.
• A characteristic pattern of body sway.
• Power spectral exponent.

The statistical properties of the center of pressure (COP) change over time, and -invariant methods of the COP analysis is not sufficient to monitor the changes. Therefore, dynamic temporal information of the COP signals has been important in assessing the postural stability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristic pattern of time–frequency dynamics during the upright stance in patients with unilateral vestibular dysfunction (UVD). This study included 20 dizzy patients with UVD and age-matched 20 control subjects without any vestibular disorder. The COP signals were collected using a single standard force platform and a spectral analysis including the time–frequency dynamics was carried out on the basis of the maximum entropy method (MEM) by using a segment time series analysis. The power spectral density (PSD) analysis exhibited an exponential decreasing shape (1/f −β) when plotted on a double logarithmic scale. The average value of β in the low frequency range of less than 1 Hz in the UVD group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05) in the medial-lateral (ML) direction under eyes closed condition. In the segment time series analysis, the peak frequency of the COP signals in the patients with UVD gradually converged to the frequency range of 0.1–0.2 Hz in the ML direction under EC condition. Our results suggest that the segment time series analysis of the COP signals can derive a characteristic pattern related to the UVD. It may indicate an increased reflexivity of the COP fluctuation by the UVD, resulting in inducing the instability.