Increased visual reliance for postural control in multiple sclerosis: preliminary evidence from task-related cortical desynchronization
- 1Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne , ,
- 2DRK Kamillus Hospital , ,
Abstract
Background: Balance impairment is one of the most disabling symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS), yet the underlying cortical mechanisms remain poorly understood. This exploratory study investigated how postural demands modulate brain activity in MS.
Methods: Seven individuals with MS (mean age: 51.1 ± 9.7 years; 5 women; median Expanded Disability Status Scale: 5.5, IQR: 4.5–6.0) and seven age- and sex-matched healthy controls (mean age: 51.0 ± 9.6 years) performed three static balance tasks on a force plate: quiet stance with eyes open, quiet stance with eyes closed, and narrow stance with eyes open. Electroencephalography (EEG) and center of pressure (COP) were simultaneously recorded. Group differences were assessed using Linear Mixed Models. Significant effects are reported with false discovery rate (FDR)-corrected q -values, and otherwise with uncorrected p -values.
Results: MS patients demonstrated greater postural sway than healthy controls, with FDR-corrected group × condition interactions across COP parameters (semi-partial R ² = 0.225–0.441; all q < 0.05), most pronounced during eyes closed (semi-partial R ² = 0.124–0.282; all p < 0.05). Resting-state EEG revealed no consistent group differences except for an uncorrected elevation of occipital theta power in MS patients ( p = 0.017; r = −0.76). During stance, uncorrected group × condition interactions indicated that MS patients exhibited a greater task-induced decrease of theta, alpha, and beta power relative to their matched resting baseline compared to healthy controls (semi-partial R ² = 0.193–0.318; all p < 0.05). These effects were specific to the eyes-closed condition.
Conclusion: These preliminary findings are consistent with an increased reliance on visual information for postural control in MS, accompanied by a task-related cortical desynchronization specifically upon visual deprivation. The observed effect sizes, while likely subject to inflation given the small sample size, suggest that oscillatory EEG parameters warrant investigation in larger confirmatory studies.
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BibTeX
@article{braunsmann2026increased,
title = {{Increased visual reliance for postural control in multiple sclerosis: preliminary evidence from task-related cortical desynchronization}},
author = {Leonard Braunsmann and Isabel Stolz and Franca Rosiny and Dieter Pöhlau and Vera Abeln and Stefan Schneider and Thomas Abel and Kristel Knaepen},
journal = {Frontiers in neurology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3389/fneur.2026.1882165},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13661309},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Increased visual reliance for postural control in multiple sclerosis: preliminary evidence from task-related cortical desynchronization
AU - Leonard Braunsmann
AU - Isabel Stolz
AU - Franca Rosiny
AU - Dieter Pöhlau
AU - Vera Abeln
AU - Stefan Schneider
AU - Thomas Abel
AU - Kristel Knaepen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Frontiers in neurology
DO - 10.3389/fneur.2026.1882165
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13661309
AB - Background: Balance impairment is one of the most disabling symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS), yet the underlying cortical mechanisms remain poorly understood. This exploratory study investigated how postural demands modulate brain activity in MS. Methods: Seven individuals with MS (mean age: 51.1 ± 9.7 years; 5 women; median Expanded Disability Status Scale: 5.5, IQR: 4.5–6.0) and seven age- and sex-matched healthy controls (mean age: 51.0 ± 9.6 years) performed three static balance tasks on a force plate: quiet stance with eyes open, quiet stance with eyes closed, and narrow stance with eyes open. Electroencephalography (EEG) and center of pressure (COP) were simultaneously recorded. Group differences were assessed using Linear Mixed Models. Significant effects are reported with false discovery rate (FDR)-corrected q -values, and otherwise with uncorrected p -values. Results: MS patients demonstrated greater postural sway than healthy controls, with FDR-corrected group × condition interactions across COP parameters (semi-partial R ² = 0.225–0.441; all q < 0.05), most pronounced during eyes closed (semi-partial R ² = 0.124–0.282; all p < 0.05). Resting-state EEG revealed no consistent group differences except for an uncorrected elevation of occipital theta power in MS patients ( p = 0.017; r = −0.76). During stance, uncorrected group × condition interactions indicated that MS patients exhibited a greater task-induced decrease of theta, alpha, and beta power relative to their matched resting baseline compared to healthy controls (semi-partial R ² = 0.193–0.318; all p < 0.05). These effects were specific to the eyes-closed condition. Conclusion: These preliminary findings are consistent with an increased reliance on visual information for postural control in MS, accompanied by a task-related cortical desynchronization specifically upon visual deprivation. The observed effect sizes, while likely subject to inflation given the small sample size, suggest that oscillatory EEG parameters warrant investigation in larger confirmatory studies.
SN - 1664-2295
ER -