Vestibulospinal reflexes: quantitative effects of sensory feedback and postural task

Abstract

Vestibulospinal and vestibulocollic reflexes evoked by galvanic stimulation were studied in 20 normal volunteers. In an initial "baseline" study, subjects stood unsupported on a flat surface and a narrow base with their eyes shut and with their heads rotated to the left. The effects of vision, external support and increasing stance width were examined both individually and in combination. In a second series, the effects of the same factors were examined while subjects stood on a compliant surface. Short latency (SL) and medium latency (ML) vestibulospinal reflex responses were evoked using 4 mA/20 ms galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) and measured from the right soleus muscle. Vestibulocollic reflexes to short duration galvanic stimulation (4 mA/2 ms) were also measured under similar conditions. Both SL and ML vestibulospinal reflexes decreased significantly and to a similar degree with vision, external support and increasing stance width on a flat surface. On the compliant surface, stance width did not result in a decrease in the ML reflex. Reflex amplitudes further decreased in a non-linear fashion with each additional sensory modality ("factor") that was made available; the degree of attenuation due to the addition of a second and third factor closely approximated the product of the effect of each factor in isolation. Standing on a compliant surface resulted in enhancement of average SL and ML reflexes under all conditions. Vestibulocollic reflexes in contrast showed no significant modulation with vision, external support and stance width. The dissociation between vestibulocollic and vestibulospinal reflexes indicates that the modulation of vestibulospinal reflexes with task occurs proximal to the primary vestibular afferents. Vestibulospinal reflexes were largest when subjects stood on a narrow base, on a compliant surface, deprived of vision and external support, consistent with the importance of vestibular function under these conditions. Although attenuated, vestibulospinal reflexes were preserved in most subjects even when vision and external support were available and a wider stance width was adopted. The combination of different factors caused a multiplicative attenuation of the initial response.