Vestibular migraine is a leading cause of episodic vertigo but objective physiological markers and mechanistic understanding remain limited. Postural instability is a recognised feature, possibly linked to abnormal central integration of vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive inputs. This study examined whether targeted vibrational stimulation alters postural control and visuospatial orientation in patients with vestibular migraine.
An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted involving 15 patients with vestibular migraine in the interictal phase, diagnosed according to Bárány Society criteria, and 15 age-matched healthy controls. Participants received vibrational stimulation at the mastoid, upper cervical region, and a deltoid control site. Postural sway was quantified using stabilometric force-platform measures under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions.
Visuospatial orientation was assessed with a rod-tilt paradigm. Baseline postural sway and rod-tilt performance were similar between groups. VM patients exhibited significantly greater displacements of the body’s centre of pressure (CoP) in response to both upper neck and mastoid vibration, compared with healthy subjects (all p
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