Does aberrant electrocortical dynamics pattern imply atypical balance control in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis?

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a developmental disorder described as a three-dimensional spine deformity with multifactorial etiology. The multifactorial model of AIS suggests that the patient population is diverse. Identifying individuals with sensorimotor control impairments could enable personalized treatments, potentially leading to improved outcomes for those with AIS. We hypothesize that abnormal electrocortical dynamics within the sensorimotor cortex will be related to less efficient balance control in standing during ankle proprioception alteration in the absence or presence of vision. To test this hypothesis, the balance control performance of adolescents with AIS will be assessed on a force platform by computing the root mean square value of the scalar distance between the center of pressure and the center of gravity. Electroencephalography will be recorded while challenging balance control by altering ankle proprioception in the presence and absence of visual cues. Time-frequency analyses will be calculated to determine alpha, and beta band power in both conditions. Pilot data from 13 participants with AIS were analyzed to support our hypothesis. Three participants with less efficient balance control showed electrocortical dynamics changes, such as an increase in beta band power in the presence and absence of vision and a decrease in alpha band power in the presence of vision compared to the AIS group with efficient balance control. These findings support our hypothesis of suboptimal sensorimotor information processing in the subgroup of adolescents with AIS with less efficient balance control, which could have significant implications for developing personalized treatments for AIS.