Background Bilateral vestibulopathy is a disorder characterized by significant impairments in vestibular function, leading to changes in the kinematics of standing body sway. While previous studies have demonstrated that observing paintings can influence postural control in healthy adults, the effects of such visual stimuli on individuals with BVP remain unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the impact of observing an artistic painting on postural balance.

Methods Posture was assessed in 34 patients with bilateral vestibuloapthy compared to 30 healthy controls using three static balance conditions: (1) eyes open by fixating a cross, (2) eyes closed, and (3) while viewing an impressionist painting (Le Bassin Aux Nymphéas, Monet).

Results Patients with bilateral vestibulopathy, compared to healthy controls, had higher center of pressure standard deviation and amplitude in the anteroposterior direction eyes open and eyes closed but no differences between groups were detected when viewing the painting.

Conclusions These findings suggest that art observation can influence postural control in vestibular-defective patients. Further research will be needed to understand the basis of this effect and its possible relevance for rehabilitative treatment.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This study was funded by Region Normandie grant # 00115524-210E06581.

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The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

National Ethic Committee IDRCB 2022-A01513-40 gave ethical approval for this work.

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All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors.