Head-free gaze control in humans with chronic loss of vestibular function

Nadine Lehnen, Ulrich Büttner, Stefan Glasauer

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Healthy subjects use the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) to stabilize gaze. Labyrinthine-defective humans without VOR still are, to some extent, able to maintain gaze stability during active eye-head movements. Here it is investigated whether this stabilization is due to anticipatory mechanisms or proprioceptive feedback. The head inertia was increased in humans who have undergone bilateral vestibulectomy (vestibular subjects) and in healthy controls during large gaze shifts. This leads to head oscillations in both groups. Whereas controls compensate for head oscillations and maintain gaze stability, vestibular subjects display gaze oscillations along with head oscillations. This indicates that vestibular subjects mainly use learned, anticipatory mechanisms, and not proprioception, to stabilize gaze.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBasic and Clinical Aspects of Vertigo and Dizziness
PublisherBlackwell Publishing Inc.
Pages409-412
Number of pages4
ISBN (Print)9781573317177
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2009
Externally publishedYes

Publication series

NameAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences
Volume1164
ISSN (Print)0077-8923
ISSN (Electronic)1749-6632

Keywords

  • Feedback
  • Feedforward
  • Head moment of inertia
  • Proprioception
  • Stabilization
  • VOR
  • Vestibulo-ocular reflex

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