Oculomotor function during space flight and susceptibility to space motion sickness

Abstract

Horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and saccadic eye movements (SEM) were studied in 18 subjects before and during five Space Shuttle missions to evaluate the effects of weightlessness and correlations between results and susceptibility to and actual presence of space motion sickness (SMS). Active sinusoidal head oscillation was the stimulus for VOR tests with vision (VVOR), with eyes shaded (VOR-ES), and VOR suppression (VOR-S). Eye movements were recorded by electrooculography and head position by a potentiometer. No pathological nystagmus or other abnormal eye movements were seen. No significant in-flight changes were seen in the gain, phase shift or waveform of VVOR, VOR-ES, or VOR-S. Statistically significant increases in saccadic latency and decreases in saccadic velocity were seen, with no change in saccadic accuracy. Preflight differences between SMS susceptible and non-susceptible subjects were noted only in VOR-S, with less complete suppression in susceptible subjects, a finding also seen in flight. During flight, VVOR gain was significantly increased in three non-affected subjects. Saccades of SMS-affected subjects showed increased latency and velocity and decreased accuracy compared to saccades of unaffected subjects.