Neural Processing of Gravito-Inertial Cues in Humans. IV. Influence of Visual Rotational Cues During Roll Optokinetic Stimuli

2003 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 390-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. H. Zupan ◽  
D. M. Merfeld
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cues ◽  
Gravitational Force ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Inertial Force ◽  
Linear Acceleration ◽  
Otolith Organs ◽  
Optokinetic Stimulation ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Right ◽  
Roll Tilt

Sensory systems often provide ambiguous information. For example, otolith organs measure gravito-inertial force (GIF), the sum of gravitational force and inertial force due to linear acceleration. However, according to Einstein's equivalence principle, a change in gravitational force due to tilt is indistinguishable from a change in inertial force due to translation. Therefore the central nervous system (CNS) must use other sensory cues to distinguish tilt from translation. For example, the CNS might use dynamic visual cues indicating rotation to help determine the orientation of gravity (tilt). This, in turn, might influence the neural processes that estimate linear acceleration, since the CNS might estimate gravity and linear acceleration such that the difference between these estimates matches the measured GIF. Depending on specific sensory information inflow, inaccurate estimates of gravity and linear acceleration can occur. Specifically, we predict that illusory tilt caused by roll optokinetic cues should lead to a horizontal vestibuloocular reflex compensatory for an interaural estimate of linear acceleration, even in the absence of actual linear acceleration. To investigate these predictions, we measured eye movements binocularly using infrared video methods in 17 subjects during and after optokinetic stimulation about the subject's nasooccipital (roll) axis (60°/s, clockwise or counterclockwise). The optokinetic stimulation was applied for 60 s followed by 30 s in darkness. We simultaneously measured subjective roll tilt using a somatosensory bar. Each subject was tested in three different orientations: upright, pitched forward 10°, and pitched backward 10°. Five subjects reported significant subjective roll tilt (>10°) in directions consistent with the direction of the optokinetic stimulation. In addition to torsional optokinetic nystagmus and afternystagmus, we measured a horizontal nystagmus to the right during and following clockwise (CW) stimulation and to the left during and following counterclockwise (CCW) stimulation. These measurements match predictions that subjective tilt in the absence of real tilt should induce a nonzero estimate of interaural linear acceleration and, therefore, a horizontal eye response. Furthermore, as predicted, the horizontal response in the dark was larger for Tilters ( n = 5) than for Non-Tilters ( n= 12).

Neural Processing of Gravito-Inertial Cues in Humans. I. Influence of the Semicircular Canals Following Post-Rotatory Tilt

2000 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 2001-2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. H. Zupan ◽  
R. J. Peterka ◽  
D. M. Merfeld
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Information Integration ◽  
Constant Velocity ◽  
Gravitational Force ◽  
Inertial Force ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Linear Acceleration ◽  
Head Orientation ◽  
Otolith Organs ◽  
Sensory Cues

Sensory systems often provide ambiguous information. Integration of various sensory cues is required for the CNS to resolve sensory ambiguity and elicit appropriate responses. The vestibular system includes two types of sensors: the semicircular canals, which measure head rotation, and the otolith organs, which measure gravito-inertial force (GIF), the sum of gravitational force and inertial force due to linear acceleration. According to Einstein's equivalence principle, gravitational force is indistinguishable from inertial force due to linear acceleration. As a consequence, otolith measurements must be supplemented with other sensory information for the CNS to distinguish tilt from translation. The GIF resolution hypothesis states that the CNS estimates gravity and linear acceleration, so that the difference between estimates of gravity and linear acceleration matches the measured GIF. Both otolith and semicircular canal cues influence this estimation of gravity and linear acceleration. The GIF resolution hypothesis predicts that inaccurate estimates of both gravity and linear acceleration can occur due to central interactions of sensory cues. The existence of specific patterns of vestibuloocular reflexes (VOR) related to these inaccurate estimates can be used to test the GIF resolution hypothesis. To investigate this hypothesis, we measured eye movements during two different protocols. In one experiment, eight subjects were rotated at a constant velocity about an earth-vertical axis and then tilted 90° in darkness to one of eight different evenly spaced final orientations, a so-called “dumping” protocol. Three speeds (200, 100, and 50°/s) and two directions, clockwise (CW) and counterclockwise (CCW), of rotation were tested. In another experiment, four subjects were rotated at a constant velocity (200°/s, CW and CCW) about an earth-horizontal axis and stopped in two different final orientations (nose-up and nose-down), a so-called “barbecue” protocol. The GIF resolution hypothesis predicts that post-rotatory horizontal VOR eye movements for both protocols should include an “induced” VOR component, compensatory to an interaural estimate of linear acceleration, even though no true interaural linear acceleration is present. The GIF resolution hypothesis accurately predicted VOR and induced VOR dependence on rotation direction, rotation speed, and head orientation. Alternative hypotheses stating that frequency segregation may discriminate tilt from translation or that the post-rotatory VOR time constant is dependent on head orientation with respect to the GIF direction did not predict the observed VOR for either experimental protocol.

Vestibular Perception and Action Employ Qualitatively Different Mechanisms. II. VOR and Perceptual Responses During Combined Tilt&Translation

2005 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel M. Merfeld ◽  
Sukyung Park ◽  
Claire Gianna-Poulin ◽  
F. Owen Black ◽  
Scott Wood
Keyword(s):  
Perception And Action ◽  
Rotation Axis ◽  
Human Perception ◽  
Linear Acceleration ◽  
Otolith Organs ◽  
Model Predictions ◽  
Vestibular Perception ◽  
Compare And Contrast ◽  
High Pass ◽  
Roll Tilt

II. VOR and perceptual responses during combined Tilt&Translation. To compare and contrast the neural mechanisms that contribute to vestibular perception and action, we measured vestibuloocular reflexes (VOR) and perceptions of tilt and translation. We took advantage of the well-known ambiguity that the otolith organs respond to both linear acceleration and tilt with respect to gravity and investigated the mechanisms by which this ambiguity is resolved. A new motion paradigm that combined roll tilt with inter-aural translation (“ Tilt&Translation”) was used; subjects were sinusoidally (0.8 Hz) roll tilted but with their ears above or below the rotation axis. This paradigm provided sinusoidal roll canal cues that were the same across trials while providing otolith cues that varied linearly with ear position relative to the earth-horizontal rotation axis. We found that perceived tilt and translation depended on canal cues, with substantial roll tilt and inter-aural translation perceptions reported even when the otolith organs measured no inter-aural force. These findings match internal model predictions that rotational cues from the canals influence the neural processing of otolith cues. We also found horizontal translational VORs that varied linearly with radius; a minimal response was measured when the otolith organs transduced little or no inter-aural force. Hence, the horizontal translational VOR was dependent on otolith cues but independent of canal cues. These findings match predictions that translational VORs are elicited by simple filtering of otolith signals. We conclude that internal models govern human perception of tilt and translation at 0.8 Hz and that high-pass filtering governs the human translational VOR at this same frequency.

Neural Processing of Gravito-Inertial Cues in Humans. II. Influence of the Semicircular Canals During Eccentric Rotation

2001 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 1648-1660 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Merfeld ◽  
L. H. Zupan ◽  
C. A. Gifford
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Rotation Speed ◽  
Linear Acceleration ◽  
Otolith Organs ◽  
Centripetal Acceleration ◽  
Variable Radius ◽  
Fixed Radius ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Roll Tilt

All linear accelerometers, including the otolith organs, respond equivalently to gravity and linear acceleration. To investigate how the nervous system resolves this ambiguity, we measured perceived roll tilt and reflexive eye movements in humans in the dark using two different centrifugation motion paradigms (fixed radius and variable radius) combined with two different subject orientations (facing-motion and back-to-motion). In the fixed radius trials, the radius at which the subject was seated was held constant while the rotation speed was changed to yield changes in the centrifugal force. In variable radius trials, the rotation speed was held constant while the radius was varied to yield a centrifugal force that nearly duplicated that measured during the fixed radius condition. The total gravito-inertial force (GIF) measured by the otolith organs was nearly identical in the two paradigms; the primary difference was the presence (fixed radius) or absence (variable radius) of yaw rotational cues. We found that the yaw rotational cues had a large statistically significant effect on the time course of perceived tilt, demonstrating that yaw rotational cues contribute substantially to the neural processing of roll tilt. We also found that the orientation of the subject relative to the centripetal acceleration had a dramatic influence on the eye movements measured during fixed radius centrifugation. Specifically, the horizontal vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) measured in our human subjects was always greater when the subject faced the direction of motion than when the subjects had their backs toward the motion during fixed radius rotation. This difference was consistent with the presence of a horizontal translational VOR response induced by the centripetal acceleration. Most importantly, by comparing the perceptual tilt responses to the eye movement responses, we found that the translational VOR component decayed as the subjective tilt indication aligned with the tilt of the GIF. This was true for both the fixed radius and variable radius conditions even though the time course of the responses was significantly different for these two conditions. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the nervous system resolves the ambiguous measurements of GIF into neural estimates of gravity and linear acceleration. More generally, these findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the nervous system uses internal models to process and interpret sensory motor cues.

Eyes on Target: What Neurons Must do for the Vestibuloocular Reflex During Linear Motion

2004 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dora E. Angelaki
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Information ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Linear Acceleration ◽  
Head Rotation ◽  
Oculomotor System ◽  
Eye Position ◽  
Otolith Organs ◽  
Vestibuloocular Reflex ◽  
Linear Motion ◽  
Gaze Stabilization

A gaze-stabilization reflex that has been conserved throughout evolution is the rotational vestibuloocular reflex (RVOR), which keeps images stable on the entire retina during head rotation. An ethological newer reflex, the translational or linear VOR (TVOR), provides fast foveal image stabilization during linear motion. Whereas the sensorimotor processing has been extensively studied in the RVOR, much less is currently known about the neural organization of the TVOR. Here we summarize the computational problems faced by the system and the potential solutions that might be used by brain stem and cerebellar neurons participating in the VORs. First and foremost, recent experimental and theoretical evidence has shown that, contrary to popular beliefs, the sensory signals driving the TVOR arise from both the otolith organs and the semicircular canals. Additional unresolved issues include a scaling by both eye position and vergence angle as well as the temporal transformation of linear acceleration signals into eye-position commands. Behavioral differences between the RVOR and TVOR, as well as distinct differences in neuroanatomical and neurophysiological properties, raise multiple functional questions and computational issues, only some of which are readily understood. In this review, we provide a summary of what is known about the functional properties and neural substrates for this oculomotor system and outline some specific hypotheses about how sensory information is centrally processed to create motor commands for the VORs.

scholarly journals Depth Cues Changes Circle Size Judgment Measured by Psychophysical Scaling

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Fernandes Costa ◽  
Balázs Vince Nagy ◽  
Adsson Magalhães
Keyword(s):  
Visual Angle ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Apparent Size ◽  
Size Judgment ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Depth Cues ◽  
Circle Size ◽  
Psychophysical Scaling ◽  
The Right

The aim of our study was to investigate whether different circle sizes, in conditions of pure size judgment and in a simple contextual judgment with an interfering depth suggesting background, produce different size perceptions. We used the magnitude estimation to obtain the apparent size of circles under two different experimental conditions: with a neutral black background and with a convergent gradient to generate an artificial horizon to evoke depth cues. Twenty-two subjects with normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity (mean age = 21.3 yrs; SD = 1.6) were tested. The procedure consisted of two gray circles at luminance of 40 cd/m2, separated 10 degrees of visual angle apart from each other. On the left side was always present the reference circle (visual angle of 1.1 degree) in which was assigned an arbitrary value of 50 was assigned. The subjects' task was to judge the size of the circles appearing in the right side of the monitor screen assigning a number proportional to the perceived altered size, relative to the reference circle. Seven different sizes (0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 degrees) were presented in each condition. Our results have shown a high correlation for circle size and depth conditions (R = 0.987 and R = 0.997) between the logs of the stimuli and the subjective magnitude estimated values. The exponents obtained by the Power Law were 0.79 and 1.09, respectively to each condition. Additionally, a gender effect was observed in which males had showed an expansive perception of size with no dependence on the background. We concluded that in the induced depth condition, the perception of the circle sizes were judged subjectively closer to their respective physical size than in the condition of free visual cues. Our data reinforces the integrative manner of perceptual system when working with the sensory information

scholarly journals Roll Tilt Psychophysics in Rhesus Monkeys During Vestibular and Visual Stimulation

2008 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 140-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard F. Lewis ◽  
Csilla Haburcakova ◽  
Daniel M. Merfeld
Keyword(s):  
Rhesus Monkeys ◽  
Visual Stimulation ◽  
Inertial Force ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Head Orientation ◽  
Optokinetic Stimulation ◽  
Behavioral Measures ◽  
Visual Vertical ◽  
Fixed Radius ◽  
Roll Tilt

How does the brain calculate the spatial orientation of the head relative to gravity? Psychophysical measurements are critical to investigate this question, but such measurements have been limited to humans. In non-human primates, behavioral measures have focused on vestibular-mediated eye movements, which do not reflect percepts of head orientation. We have therefore developed a method to measure tilt perception in monkeys, derived from the subjective visual vertical (SVV) task. Two rhesus monkeys were trained to align a light bar parallel to gravity and performed this task during roll tilts, centrifugation, and roll optokinetic stimulation. The monkeys accurately aligned the light bar with gravity during static roll tilts but also demonstrated small orientation-dependent misperceptions of the tilt angle analogous to those measured in humans. When the gravito-inertial force (GIF) rotated dynamically in the roll plane, SVV responses remained closely aligned with the GIF during roll tilt of the head (coplanar canal rotational cues present), lagged slightly behind the GIF during variable-radius centrifugation (no canal cues present), and shifted gradually during fixed-radius centrifugation (orthogonal yaw canal cues present). SVV responses also deviated away from the earth-vertical during roll optokinetic stimulation. These results demonstrate that rotational cues derived from the semicircular canals and visual system have prominent effects on psychophysical measurements of roll tilt in rhesus monkeys and therefore suggest that a central synthesis of graviceptive and rotational cues contributes to percepts of head orientation relative to gravity in non-human primates.

scholarly journals Linear acceleration-evoked cardiovascular responses in awake rats

2007 ◽  
Vol 103 (2) ◽  
pp. 646-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Zhu ◽  
James R. Jordan ◽  
Steven P. G. Hardy ◽  
Beverly Fulcher ◽  
Curtis Childress ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cues ◽  
Linear Acceleration ◽  
Cardiovascular Responses ◽  
Cardiovascular Regulation ◽  
Short Latency ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Otolith Organs ◽  
Linear Motion ◽  
Postural Changes ◽  
Awake Rats

It has been well documented that vestibular-mediated cardiovascular regulation plays an important role in maintaining stable blood pressure (BP) during postural changes. But the underlying neural mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In particular, because the vestibular stimulation employed in previous animal studies activated both semicircular canals and otolith organs, the contributions of the otolith system has not been studied selectively. The goal of the present study was to characterize cardiovascular responses to natural otolith stimulation in awake rats that were subjected to pure linear motion. In any of the four directions tested, transient linear motion produced a short-latency (∼520 ms) increase in mean BP with a peak of 8.27 ± 0.66 mmHg and was followed by a decrease in BP. There was an initial small biphasic response in heart rate (HR) that was followed by a longer duration increase. The short-latency increase in BP was absent in rats that were pentobarbital sodium anesthetized or that were labyrinthectomized bilaterally, but it was unaffected by baroreceptor denervation, indicating that it was of otolith origin. The increase in BP was linear acceleration intensity dependent and was not affected by absence of visual cues. Furthermore, the BP response was attenuated by inactivation of the medial and inferior vestibular nuclei by microinjections of muscimol, indicating that the otolith-driven cardiovascular responses are mediated by the neurons in these areas. These results not only demonstrate the otolith specific influences on the cardiovascular system but also they establish the first rodent model for examining the neural mechanisms underlying the otolith-mediated cardiovascular regulation.

scholarly journals Roll Rotation Cues Influence Roll Tilt Perception Assayed Using a Somatosensory Technique

2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 486-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sukyung Park ◽  
Claire Gianna-Poulin ◽  
F. Owen Black ◽  
Scott Wood ◽  
Daniel M. Merfeld
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Gravitational Force ◽  
Head Tilt ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Otolith Organs ◽  
Radial Acceleration ◽  
Sinusoidal Variation ◽  
Axis Of Rotation ◽  
Primary Difference ◽  
Roll Tilt

We investigated how the nervous system processes ambiguous cues from the otolith organs by measuring roll tilt perception elicited by two motion paradigms. In one paradigm (tilt), eight subjects were sinusoidally tilted in roll with the axis of rotation near ear level. Stimulus frequencies ranged from 0.005 to 0.7 Hz, and the peak amplitude of tilt was 20°. During this paradigm, subjects experienced a sinusoidal variation of interaural gravitational force with a peak of 0.34 g. The second motion paradigm (translation) was designed to yield the same sinusoidal variation in interaural force but did not include a roll canal cue. This was achieved by sinusoidally translating the subjects along their interaural axis. For the 0.7-Hz translation trial, the subjects were simply translated from side to side. A centrifuge was used for the 0.005- to 0.5-Hz translation trials; the subjects were rotated in yaw at 250°/s for 5 min before initiating sinusoidal translations yielding an interaural otolith stimulus composed of both centrifugal and radial acceleration. Using a somatosensory task to measure roll tilt perception, we found substantial differences in tilt perception during the two motion paradigms. Because the primary difference between the two motion paradigms was the presence of roll canal cues during roll tilt trials, these perceptual differences suggest that canal cues influence tilt perception. Specifically, rotational cues provided by the semicircular canals help the CNS resolve ambiguous otolith cues during head tilt, yielding more accurate tilt perception.

Human ocular torsion and perceived roll responses to linear acceleration

2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 173-183
Author(s):  
Lionel H. Zupan ◽  
Daniel M. Merfeld
Keyword(s):  
Inertial Force ◽  
Linear Acceleration ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Ocular Torsion ◽  
Frequency Range ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Video Oculography ◽  
Low Pass ◽  
Limited Frequency ◽  
Roll Tilt

We investigated if human ocular torsion (OT) and perceived roll (PR) are elicited in response to either dynamic interaural linear acceleration or dynamic roll tilt of the gravito-inertial force (GIF). We expanded a previous study [26] that measured only OT across a limited frequency-range (from 0.35 Hz to 1 Hz) by simultaneously measuring OT and PR at three very low (0.01, 0.02 and 0.05 Hz) and one high (1 Hz) frequencies. Three experimental conditions were investigated: (1) Y-Upright with acceleration along the interaural (Y) axis while upright, (2) Y-Supine with acceleration along the Y-axis while supine, and (3) Z-RED with acceleration along the rostro-caudal (Z) axis with right-ear-down (RED). OT was measured by video-oculography, while PR was measured by use of a somatosensory bar. OT and PR were qualitatively different. Large OT responses were measured for Y-Upright and Y-Supine, while large perceived roll responses were observed for Y-Upright and Z-RED. OT for Z-RED was small, and PR for Y-Supine was absent. In conclusion, OT and PR appear governed by qualitatively different neural mechanisms. OT appears mostly influenced by central low-pass filtering of interaural graviceptor cues, while PR appears mostly influenced by roll tilt of the GIF.

Legal Update: North Dakota Supreme Court: Third Edition of Guides is “Most Current”

1999 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-7
Author(s):  
James J. Mangraviti
Keyword(s):  
Internal Rotation ◽  
External Rotation ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Fourth Edition ◽  
Hip Motion ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Right ◽  
Hip Flexion ◽  
Hip Rotation ◽  
Hip Extension

Abstract The accurate measurement of hip motion is critical when one rates impairments of this joint, makes an initial diagnosis, assesses progression over time, and evaluates treatment outcome. The hip permits all motions typical of a ball-and-socket joint. The hip sacrifices some motion but gains stability and strength. Figures 52 to 54 in AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides), Fourth Edition, illustrate techniques for measuring hip flexion, loss of extension, abduction, adduction, and external and internal rotation. Figure 53 in the AMA Guides, Fourth Edition, illustrates neutral, abducted, and adducted positions of the hip and proper alignment of the goniometer arms, and Figure 52 illustrates use of a goniometer to measure flexion of the right hip. In terms of impairment rating, hip extension (at least any beyond neutral) is irrelevant, and the AMA Guides contains no figures describing its measurement. Figure 54, Measuring Internal and External Hip Rotation, demonstrates proper positioning and measurement techniques for rotary movements of this joint. The difference between measured and actual hip rotation probably is minimal and is irrelevant for impairment rating. The normal internal rotation varies from 30° to 40°, and the external rotation ranges from 40° to 60°.

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