Eye Movements Induced by Calorization of the Vertical Semicircular Canals. A Study in Pigeon

2015 ◽  
pp. 36-38
Author(s):  
H. A. A. de Jong ◽  
H. P. Goossens ◽  
W. J. Oosterveld
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Vertical Semicircular Canals

Asymmetry of Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex in the Cat

1985 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 597-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Anderson ◽  
Stephen L. Liston
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Slow Phase ◽  
Ocular Reflex ◽  
Vestibulo Ocular Reflex ◽  
Vertical Semicircular Canals

Vertical eye movements were recorded in alert, restrained cats that were subjected to whole-body rotations which stimulated the vertical semicircular canals. The results showed a significant asymmetry between the upward and downward slow-phase eye movements, which suggests differences in the CNS processing of vertical canal inputs vis-à-vis the vestibulo-ocular reflex.

Inactivation of Semicircular Canals Causes Adaptive Increases in Otolith-Driven Tilt Responses

2002 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 1635-1640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dora E. Angelaki ◽  
Shawn D. Newlands ◽  
J. David Dickman
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Semicircular Canal ◽  
Translational Motion ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Vertical Axis ◽  
Lateral Motion ◽  
Functional Interaction ◽  
Gaze Stabilization ◽  
Theoretical Evidence ◽  
Ocular System

Growing experimental and theoretical evidence suggests a functional synergy in the processing of otolith and semicircular canal signals for the generation of the vestibulo-ocular reflexes (VORs). In this study we have further tested this functional interaction by quantifying the adaptive changes in the otolith-ocular system during both rotational and translational movements after surgical inactivation of the semicircular canals. For 0.1–0.5 Hz (stimuli for which there is no recovery of responses from the plugged canals), pitch and roll VOR gains recovered during earth-horizontal (but not earth-vertical) axis rotations. Corresponding changes were also observed in eye movements elicited by translational motion (0.1–5 Hz). Specifically, torsional eye movements increased during lateral motion, whereas vertical eye movements increased during fore-aft motion. The findings indicate that otolith signals can be adapted according to a compromised strategy that leads to improved gaze stabilization during motion. Because canal-plugged animals permanently lose the ability to discriminate gravitoinertial accelerations, adapted animals can use the presence of gravity through otolith-driven tilt responses to assist gaze stabilization during earth-horizontal axis rotations.

The functional allometry of semicircular canals, fins, and body dimensions in the juvenile centrarchid fish, Lepomis gibbosus (L.)

Development ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 721-743
Author(s):  
Howard C. Howland ◽  
Joseph Masci
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Semicircular Canal ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Lepomis Gibbosus ◽  
Swimming Velocity ◽  
Body Dimensions ◽  
Moments Of Inertia ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Vertical Semicircular Canal ◽  
Vertical Semicircular Canals

1. The ontogenetic allometry of radii of curvature and the tube radii of the semicircular canals of approximately 85 juvenile (2–20 g) centrarchids of the species Lepomis gibbosus (L.) was investigated. The radii of curvature of the semicircular canals have different allometries; these arefor the anterior vertical, posterior vertical and horizontal canals respectively. The differences in growth exponents between the anterior and posterior vertical semicircular canals and between the anterior vertical and horizontal semicircular canals were statistically significant (P < 0·02 and P < 0·05 respectively). 2. Body mass and standard length were almost equally good predictors of the radii of curvature of the anterior vertical semicircular canals, but body mass was the better predictor of the radii of curvature of the posterior vertical and horizontal semicircular canals, as judged by the magnitude of the mean squares about the logarithmic regressions of radii on length and mass. 3. By measuring and estimating the area moments of the fins of the fish, the moments of inertia about various axes and the allometry of the characteristic swimming velocity of the fish, we attempted to account for the magnitude and direction of the differences in allometric growth exponents of the radii of curvature of the semicircular canals. Unexplained by our best estimate of growth exponents was the very high value observed for the posterior vertical semicircular canals. 4. No significant correlation could be found between the residuals of the major dimensions of the posterior vertical semicircular canals and those of body width or depth once the influence of body mass was removed. This finding suggests the rejection of the hypothesis that the allometry of this semicircular canal is simply correlated with overall body expansion in its plane. 5. The discrepancies between our predictions and observations of growth exponents could be explained by a gradual increase of the spring constant of the semicircular canals on the order ofthough they may also be due to other factors neglected in our model, e.g. the allometry of the added mass of the fish. 6. No evidence suggested that the shape of the semicircular canals was altered over the size range of the fish we studied. However, among the fins of the fish and the major body dimensions, only the width and the depth of the fish exhibited growth constants that did not differ significantly from each other. 7. We computed the effective toroidal radii of the non-toroidal-shaped vertical semicircular canals and found that the equivalent toroidal radius of the anterior vertical semicircular canal was consistently greater than that of the posterior vertical semicircular canal. This difference is explicable on the basis of the different moments of inertia of the animal about axes through the center of gravity and parallel to the axes of the semicircular canals. 8. We computed the allometry of the ratios R̄/r2 for all three semicircular canals and found in accordance with the prediction of Jones & Spells that they did not differ significantly from zero. 9. The allometry of the outer tube radii of the several semicircular canals was determined, and, while there was no significant difference in the growth exponents of the tube radii, it was noted that the tube radius of the horizontal semicircular canal was consistently and significantly smaller than that of the vertical semicircular canal. We suggested that this difference might be due to the broader range of frequencies that the fish experienced about its yaw axis. 10. Taken as a whole the data and calculations of this paper generally support the theory that the dimensions of the semicircular canals and the ontogenetic changes in them attune the semicircular canals to the angular frequency spectra that the fish experience about their axes.

Semicircular canal and saccular influence on the subjective visual horizontal during gondola centrifugation

1999 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 347-357
Author(s):  
A. Tribukait
Keyword(s):  
Semicircular Canal ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Central Position ◽  
Otolith Organs ◽  
Force Vector ◽  
Time Constants ◽  
Storage Mechanism ◽  
Spatial Disorientation ◽  
Gravitoinertial Force ◽  
Vertical Semicircular Canals

Measurements of the subjective visual horizontal (SVH) were performed in 11 healthy test persons during an increase of the resultant gravitoinertial force vector in a large swing-out gondola centrifuge. Three levels of hypergravity (1.5g, 2.0g, 2.5g) were used, each with a duration of 4 minutes and with 1–2 minute pauses at 1.0g in between. The direction of the resultant gravitoinertial force vector was always parallel with the head and body length axis. Hence, there was no roll stimulus to the otolith organs. The swing-out of the gondola during acceleration, however, is sensed by the vertical semicircular canals as a change in roll head position, thus creating an otolith-semicircular canal conflict. After acceleration of the centrifuge there was a tilt of the SVH relative to the resultant gravitoinertial horizontal. This tilt gradually decayed during the 4-minute period of recordings. For a subgroup of seven test subjects who had completely normal ENG-recordings in 1g environment, the initial offset of SVH and the time constants for exponential decay were determined for each g level; initial offsets: 9 . 9 ∘ (1.5g), 7 . 7 ∘ (2.0g), 6 . 1 ∘ (2.5g); time constants: 89s (1.5g), 74s (2.0g), 37s (2.5g). The offset of SVH is interpreted as being the result of mainly the stimulus to the vertical semicircular canals during acceleration of the centrifuge. The slow decay, however, does not correspond to the dynamics of the semicircular canal system, and is suggested to reflect some kind of central position storage mechanism. A smaller offset and more rapid decay for the higher g loads may be explained by an increasing dominance of graviceptive input, presumably from the saccules. In conclusion, these results might suggest the role of the vertical semicircular canals as well as the sacculus in the formation of SVH. They may also have relevance with regard to the spatial disorientation problem in aviators.

Functions of separate sensory receptors of nonauditory labyrinth of the cat

1962 ◽  
Vol 202 (6) ◽  
pp. 1211-1220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth E. Money ◽  
John W. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Intact Animal ◽  
Angular Acceleration ◽  
Semicircular Canals ◽  
Linear Acceleration ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sensory Receptors ◽  
Vestibular Tests ◽  
Normal Orientation ◽  
Angular Displacements ◽  
Vertical Semicircular Canals

A technique for plugging individual semicircular canals of cats was developed, and it was established that the plugging of a semicircular canal completely blocked its receptivity without influencing the functions of the other vestibular receptors. It was found that cats with all six semicircular canals plugged were lacking all sensitivity to angular acceleration, but they retained normal responses to linear acceleration. Results of several vestibular tests led to the conclusion that the vertical semicircular canals initiate corrections for fast angular displacements from the normal orientation when the displacements are about horizontal axes and that the otoliths initiate corrections for slow angular displacements about horizontal axes. In tests of single horizontal canals, the durations of postrotatory nystagmus were the same after rotations in opposite directions. It was concluded that in the intact animal both horizontal semicircular canals contribute equally to reception of angular acceleration in both directions.

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