Electroencephalographic Analysis of Orthostatic Postural Control in Stereoscopic Virtual Reality Environment

Abstract

The virtual reality environment has allowed the study of the activation of the cerebral pathways and the understanding of the neurophysiological aspects from multicentric electroencephalographic monitoring and visual evoked potential related to the movement. So, the dynamic virtual scene has supported the assessment of the sensory pathways involved with the postural control and the complex integration of the visual, somatosensitive and vestibular systems, as well as the planning of the motor actions that helps in the postural adjustments. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of dynamic visual stimulation with the use of stereoscopy to elicit Motion-Related Visual Evoked Potential (M-VEP) through 3D virtual scene. In this study, twenty-five healthy volunteers have participated, 8 women and 17 men, aged 28.24 ± 7.06 years. The M-VEP has shown a significant difference (p < 0.10) in the time range related to the P3 component in all derivations except Fp1, F8, Pz, O1, Oz and O2. A pattern of greater latency variability was identified in the DS_F stimulation condition, and a greater variability of the amplitude related to DS_B. In addition, it was observed that the M-VEP related to the approximation scenario presented higher latency in the occipital and parietal region, pointing to a possible delayed perception of the movement of this scenario. Nevertheless, more studies are necessary to conclude this possible delay in the integration of somatosensory information as strategy of postural control.