Description
Cortical sensorimotor beta oscillations (13–30 Hz) are elevated in aging and Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and are linked to impaired motor control due to abnormal basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit function. In PD, excessive beta power disrupts sensorimotor integration and balance responses, while in older adults, increased beta may reflect compensatory mechanisms. The supplementary motor area (SMA), a key region for integrating sensory input and motor planning during balance recovery, shows beta activity modulations that could influence balance performance. This study investigates whether sensorimotor beta oscillations during standing before balance perturbations predict clinical balance ability , as measured by the Mini-BESTest, in older adults with and without PD. Sensorimotor beta power was analyzed from EEG recordings of 17 individuals with PD (median Hoehn & Yahr: 2) and 18 older adults during standing balance perturbations. Beta oscillations were measured in the dipole locations contributing to the perturbation-evoked N1 event-related potential localized to the supplementary motor area (SMA). EEG data were preprocessed, and spectral parameters of the pre-stimulus beta power (−1000 ms to −2 ms) were analyzed using the FOOOF algorithm (outputs peak beta power, bandwidth, center frequency, aperiodic offset, and aperiodic exponent). Clinical balance ability was assessed using the Mini-BESTest. Average beta power (PD: M = 0.352, SD = 0.181 µV²; OA: M = 0.397, SD = 0.172 µV²; p = 0.380) and peak beta power (PD: M = 0.372, SD = 0.178 µV²; OA: M = 0.462, SD = 0.159 µV²; p = 0.126) were similar across groups, although a trend toward higher peak beta center frequencies was observed in older adults without PD (p = 0.050). All other beta characteristics were similar across groups (p>0.70). Within the PD group, higher pre-stimulus beta power was associated with lower clinical balance ability (average beta power: r = -0.67, p = 0.003; peak beta power: r = -0.64, p = 0.006), but no such relationship was observed in older adults (average beta power: r = -0.16, p = 0.52; peak beta power: r = -0.12, p = 0.64). Regression analyses revealed significant interactions between group and beta power, with higher beta power predicting worse balance in PD participants (average beta power: β = -1.37, 95% CI [-2.25, -0.49], p = 0.003, η²ᵖ = 0.25; peak beta power: β = -1.34, 95% CI [-2.30, -0.38], p = 0.008, η²ᵖ = 0.21). These findings suggest a distinct relationship between sensorimotor beta power and clinical balance impairments in PD, that is not observed in age-matched controls. These results suggest that elevated beta power is related to balance impairments in PD, highlighting sensorimotor beta oscillations as potential biomarkers for balance dysfunction in this population.| Period | 02 Jul 2025 |
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| Event title | The International Society of Posture and Gait Research World Congress: ISPGR World Congress |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Maastricht, NetherlandsShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |