Effects of microgravity on the interaction of vestibular and optokinetic nystagmus in the vertical plane

Abstract

The extent to which the slow phase velocity (SPV) of nystagmus elicited by a vertical optokinetic stimulation with constant velocity could be modulated by sinusoidal angular motion in the vertical plane was investigated under normal gravity condition and during the microgravity period of parabolic flight. In normal gravity, when the angular head motion and the optokinetic stimulation were in the same direction, the peak SPV was slower than the velocity of the optokinetic display. When the head motion and the optokinetic stimulation were in opposite directions, the peak SPV was equal to the velocity of the optokinetic display. In microgravity, the peak SPV was approximately equal to the velocity of the optokinetic display when head rotation and optokinetic stimulation were in the same direction, and was faster than the velocity of the optokinetic display when head rotation and optokinetic stimulation were in opposite directions. In addition, the interaction of vestibular and optokinetic nystagmus was found to be non-linear in microgravity, especially when the optokinetic stimulation was directed downward. These results suggest an interaction between the vestibular and the optokinetic systems modulated as a function of the gravitational state, and support the observation that visual input is more effective in reducing sensory conflict experienced in microgravity.