STARDUST v1.1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
STARDUST: Study To Assess and Reduce Dizziness (in 3PD) Using Sensory Theory
IRAS ID
327698
Contact name
Paul A. Warren
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a debilitating condition often causing problems with dizziness. While very common, it is little understood and treatment options are limited. We will study FND from a new perspective testing the idea that dizziness symptoms in FND might arise from problems with the brain systems that help us to estimate both our own movement and that of other things in the environment while we are moving.
In this 3-year study we will focus on a subgroup of FND patients with Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (3PD), who experience particularly pronounced symptoms. Patient participants will be recruited primarily from four NHS sites (Manchester - 2 sites; London - 1 site; Edinburgh - 1site) across the UK with established balance/vestibular/ENT clinics. All experimental work will be carried out at the University of Manchester in the Perception and Virtual Reality (VR) laboratories of Chief Investigator Dr. Paul Warren.
Both patient participants (with a 3PD diagnosis) and age- and IQ-matched control participants will take part in a series of experiments in which they make judgements over many trials about either their own movement or that of something else in the environment, under different viewing conditions. Sometimes movement will be active (i.e. under their own steam) and sometimes passive (i.e. using a motion platform device to carefully control their movement). From these data we will be able to estimate how the ability to interpret different sources of sensory information about movement change in 3PD, as well as how this might predict 3PD symptoms. In the final part of the study we will use our findings to undertake a preliminary investigation of VR-based therapies designed to reduce 3PD symptoms. We anticipate that our research will lead to a significantly improved understanding of the causes of dizziness in 3PD/FND and more targeted and effective therapies.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
23/ES/0045
Date of REC Opinion
20 Dec 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion