Effects of anticipatory anxiety and visual input on postural sway in an aversive situation

We have previously reported that state anxiety scores were positively correlated with postural sway while standing upright and gazing at a visual target (Ohno et al., 2004 [16]). The present study examines the effect of anticipatory anxiety and visual input on postural control in healthy individuals. An unpredictable aversive sound (100 dB SPL) was delivered in order to induce anticipatory anxiety. Participants were asked to stand upright on a force plate with their eyes open and closed, and their center of pressure (COP) was measured. Analysis of the postural parameters revealed that the path lengths of the COP and the enveloped areas were greater in the anticipatory situation with the aversive sound than in the silent situation. Fast Fourier transform analysis showed that the frequency component related to vestibular inputs (0.1–1.0 Hz) was increased during the anticipatory situation. The lower frequency (<0.1 Hz) component was decreased in the medio-lateral axis during anticipation with the eyes closed due to shifting mean power frequencies to high frequency. The results suggest that anticipatory anxiety in healthy participants amplified the sway regardless of whether the eyes were open or closed, and that the vestibular inputs greatly influenced the amplification of postural sway.