Gaze stabilization in chronic vestibular-loss and in cerebellar ataxia: Interactions of feedforward and sensory feedback mechanisms

M. Saʇlam, N. Lehnen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

During gaze shifts, humans can use visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive feedback, as well as feedforward mechanisms, for stabilization against active and passive head movements. The contributions of feedforward and sensory feedback control, and the role of the cerebellum, are still under debate. To quantify these contributions, we increased the head moment of inertia in three groups (ten healthy, five chronic vestibular-loss and nine cerebellar-ataxia patients) while they performed large gaze shifts to flashed targets in darkness. This induces undesired head oscillations. Consequently, both active (desired) and passive (undesired) head movements had to be compensated for to stabilize gaze. All groups compensated for active and passive head movements, vestibular-loss patients less than the other groups (P < 0.001, passive/active compensatory gains: vestibular-loss 0.23 ± 0.09/0.43 ± 0.12, healthy 0.80 ± 0.17/0.83 ± 0.15, cerebellar-ataxia 0.68 ± 0.17/0.77 ± 0.30, mean ± SD). The compensation gain ratio against passive and active movements was smaller than one in vestibular-loss patients (0.54 ± 0.10, P=0.001). Healthy and cerebellar-ataxia patients did not differ in active and passive compensation. In summary, vestibular-loss patients can better stabilize gaze against active than against passive head movements. Therefore, feedforward mechanisms substantially contribute to gaze stabilization. Proprioception alone is not sufficient (gain 0.2). Stabilization against active and passive head movements was not impaired in our cerebellar ataxia patients.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)425-431
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Vestibular Research: Equilibrium and Orientation
Volume24
Issue number5-6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Eye-head coordination
  • cervico-collic reflex (COR)
  • efference copy
  • proprioception
  • vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR)

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