Resonant and Stochastic Vibration in Neurorehabilitation

Neurological injuries and age-related decline can impair sensory processing and disrupt motor coordination, gait, and balance. As mechanisms of neuroplasticity have become better understood, vibration-based interventions have gained attention as potential tools to stimulate sensory pathways and motor circuits to support functional recovery. This survey reviews stochastic and resonant vibration modalities, describing their mechanisms, therapeutic rationales, and clinical applications. We synthesize evidence on whole-body vibration for improving balance, mobility, and fine motor function in aging adults, stroke survivors, and individuals with Parkinson's disease, with attention to challenges in parameter optimization, generalizability, and safety. We also assess recent developments in focused muscle vibration and wearable stochastic resonance devices for upper-limb rehabilitation, evaluating their clinical promise along with limitations in scalability, ecological validity, and standardization. Across these modalities, we identify key variables that shape therapeutic outcomes and highlight ongoing efforts to refine protocols, improve usability, and integrate vibration techniques into broader neurorehabilitation frameworks. We conclude by outlining the most important research needs for translating vibration-based interventions into reliable and deployable clinical tools.