Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Is the adaptation model a valid description of the vestibulo-ocular reflex?

  • Published:
Biological Cybernetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The pendulum model of the vestibulo-ocular reflex, including the effects of adaptation, has been evaluated using the responses of 36 normal subjects to impulsive stimuli of 128 and 256°/s. Estimates of the model parameters such as the time constants, the slow velocity threshold, and the minimum stimulus required to produce an after-nystagmus have been obtained using a new analytical technique. Although some of the data support the validity of the adaptation model, evidence is presented to demonstrate that the overall applicability of the model is limited.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aschan, G.: The mechanism of the cupula ampullaris in man. Acta Soc. Medicorum Upsaliensis 60, 77–88 (1955, 1956)

    Google Scholar 

  • Aschan, G., Nylen, C.O., Stahle, J., Wersall, R.: The rotation test Cupulometric data from 320 normals. Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.) 42, 451–459 (1952)

    Google Scholar 

  • Baloh, R. W., Sills, A. W., Honrubia, V.: Impulsive and sinusoidal rotatory testing. A comparison with results of caloric testing Laryngoscope (in press)

  • Barr, C.C., Schultheis, L.W., robinson, D.A.: Voluntary, non-visual control of the human vestibulo-ocular reflex. Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.) 81, 365–375 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohlman, G.: On the mechanism of transformation into nystagmus on stimulation of the semicircular canals. Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.) 26, 425–442 (1938)

    Google Scholar 

  • van Egmond, A.A.J., Groen, J.J., Jongkees, L.B.W.: The mechanics of the semicircular canal. J. Physiol. 110, 1–17 (1949)

    Google Scholar 

  • van Egmond, A.A.J., Groen, J.J., Jongkees, L.B.W.: The function of the vestibular organ. Pract. ORL 14, Suppl. 2 (1952)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez, D., Goldberg, J.M.: Physiology of peripheral neurons innervating the semicircular canals of the squirrel monkey. II. The response to sinusoidal stimulation and the dynamics of the peripheral vestibular system. J. Neurophysiol. 34, 661–675 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilman, S., Dirks, D.D., Hunt, S.: Measurement of head movement during auditory localization (submitted for publication)

  • Gonshor, A., Melvill-Jones, G.: Short-term adaptive changes in the human vestibulo-ocular reflex arc. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 256, 361–379 (1976a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonshor, A., Melvill-Jones, G.: Extreme vestibulo-ocular adaptation induced by prolonged optical reversal of vision. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 256, 381–414 (1976b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Groen, J.J.: The semicircular canal system of the organs of equilibrium. II. Central inhibition. Phys. Med. Biol. 1, 225–242 (1956, 1957)

    Google Scholar 

  • Groen, J.J.: Cupulometry. Laryngoscope 67, 894–905 (1957a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Groen, J.J.: Adaptation. Pract. ORL 19, 524–530 (1957b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guedry, F.E.: Psychophysics of vestibular sensation. In: Handbook of sensory physiology. Vol. VI. Part 2. p. 40. Kornhuber, H.H., ed. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • Guedry, F.E., Stockwell, C.W., Norman, J.W., Owens, G.G.: Use of triangular waveforms of angular velocity in the study of vestibular function. Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.). 71, 439–448 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallpike, C.S., Hood, J.D.: The speed of the slow component of ocular nystagmus induced by angular acceleration of the head: Its experimental determination and application to the physical theory of the cupular mechanism. Proc. Roy. Soc. (Biol.) 141, 216–230 (1953)

    Google Scholar 

  • Julius, R.S.: The sensitivity of exponentials and other curves to their parameters. Computers Biomed. Res. 5, 473–478 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Konrad, H.R., Sills, A.W., Baloh, R.W., Honrubia, V.: The impulsive test in man. Trans. AAOO 82, ORL-232-238 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorente de Nó, R.: Ausgewählte Kapitel aus der vergleichenden Physiologie des Labyrinths. Die Augenmuskelreflexe beim Kaninchen und ihre Grundlagen. Ergeb. Physiol. 32, 73–242 (1931)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowenstein, O., Sand, A.: The individual and integrated activity of the semicircular canals of the elasmobranch labyrinth. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 99, 89–101 (1940)

    Google Scholar 

  • Malcolm, R.: Progress in vestibular modeling. Part III. A quantitative study of vestibular adaptation in humans. Fourth symposium on the role of the vestibular organs in space exploration. NASA SP-187, 369–380 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Malcolm, R., Melvill-Jones, G.: A quantitative study of vestibular adaptation in humans. Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.) 70, 126–135 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • van Mastrigt, R.: Constant-step approximation of multi-exponential signals using a least-squares criterion. Comput. Biol. Med. 7, 231–247 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • McClure, J.A., Lycett, P., Bicker, G.R.: A quantitative rotational test of vestibular function. J. Otolaryngol. 5, 279–288 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meiry, J.L.: The vestibular system and human dynamic space

  • ientation. ScD thesis, MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Man-Vehicle Laboratory (1965)

  • Melvill-Jones, G.: Transfer function of labyrinthine volleys through the vestibular nuclei. Prog. Brain Res. 37, 139–156 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Melvill-Jones, G., Barry, W., Kowalsky, N.: Dynamics of the semicircular canals compared in yaw, pitch, and roll. Aerospace Med. 35, 984–989 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Melvill-Jones, G., Milsum, J.H.: Characteristics of neural transmission from the semicircular canals to the vestibular nuclei of cats. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 209, 295–316 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Milsum, J.H.: Biological control systems analysis. New York: McGraw-Hill 1966

    Google Scholar 

  • Oman, C.M., Young, L.R.: The physiological range of pressure difference and cupula deflections in the human semicircular canal. Theoretical considerations. Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.) 74, 324–331 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, R.D.: Magnitude estimates of the oculogyral illusion during and following angular acceleration. J. Exp. Psychol. 84, 230–238 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranacher, G.: Die Nystagmusdauer nach Drehbeschleunigung in Theorie und Experiment. Arch. ORL 214, 313–318 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, D.A.: Adaptive gain control of vestibuloocular reflex by the cerebellum. J. Neurophysiol. 39, 954–969 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid, R.M.: Systems analysis of the vestibulo-ocular system. Fifth symposium on the role of the vestibular organs in space exploration. NASA SP-314, 237–249 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid, R., Lardini, F.: On the predominance of anti-compensatory eye movements in vestibular nystagmus. Biol. Cybernetics 23, 135–148 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid, R., Stefanelli, M., Mira, E.: Mathematical modeling. A contribution to clinical vestibular analysis. Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.) 72, 292–302 (1971a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid, R.M., Stefanelli, M.V., Anzaldi, E.G.: A mathematical model accounting for nonzero final value of the cumulative eye position in post-rotational nystagmus. Digist 9th Int. Conf. Med. Biol. Engineering, 37 (1971b)

  • Sills, A.W., Baloh, R.W., Honrubia, V.: Caloric testing. II. Results in normal subjects. Ann. ORL Suppl. 43 (1977)

  • Sills, A.W., Honrubia, V.: A new method for determining impulsive time constants and their application to clinical data. Otolaryngology 86, ORL 81-89 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Steer, R.W.: The influence of angular and linear acceleration and thermal stimulation on the human semicircular canal. ScD Thesis, MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Man-Vehicle Laboratory (1967)

  • Steinhausen, W.: Über den Nachweis der Bewegung der Cupula in der intakten Bogengangsampulle des Labyrinths bei der natürlichen rotatorischen und calorischen Reizung. Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol. 228, 322–328 (1931)

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinhausen, W.: Über die Beobachtung der Cupula in den Bogengangsampullen des Labyrinths des lebenden Hechts. Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol. 232, 500–512 (1933)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockwell, C.W., Gilson, R.D., Guedry, F.E.: Adaptation of horizontal semicircular canal responses. Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.) 75, 471–476 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, L.R.: A control model of the vestibular system. In: Technical and biological problems of control — A cybernetic view, p. 543. Iberall, A.S., Reswick, J.B. (eds.) Distributed by Instrument Soc. America (1968)

  • Young, L.R., Oman, C.M.: Model for vestibular adaptation to horizontal rotation. Aerospace Med. 40, 1076–1080 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery Division of Head and Neck (Otolaryngology), UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California

    A. W. Sills & V. Honrubia

  2. Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California

    R. W. Baloh

Authors
  1. A. W. Sills
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. Honrubia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. W. Baloh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This work was supported by NIH Grant NS 09823

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sills, A.W., Honrubia, V. & Baloh, R.W. Is the adaptation model a valid description of the vestibulo-ocular reflex?. Biol. Cybernetics 30, 209–220 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00361042

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00361042

Keywords

Search

Navigation