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Sensory inputs contribution to vestibulo-ocular reflex and postural response maintaining simultaneously body balance
V Grigorova1, K Stambolieva, R Ikonomov
1Motor Control Laboratory, Institute of Physiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia. valgri@bio.bas.bg
Acta Physiologica Et Pharmacologica Bulgarica
|November 7, 2001
Summary
The vestibular system is key for maintaining body balance. Reducing visual or somatosensory input enhances postural stability, showing the vestibular system
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Optimal body balance relies on integrating sensory inputs from visual, somatosensory, and vestibular systems.
- Understanding the dominant sensory contribution is crucial for addressing balance disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the primary sensor contributing to the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and postural sway (PS) for maintaining body balance.
- To investigate the effects of reduced visual and somatosensory input on VOR and PS.
Main Methods:
- Healthy subjects performed balance tasks in upright stance on stable and unstable surfaces.
- Conditions included quiet stance with eyes open/closed and voluntary head movements with eyes open/closed.
- Measurements assessed postural sway and VOR gain during altered sensory input.
Main Results:
- Postural sway increased less during head movements with eyes closed (HC) compared to eyes open (HO), especially on unstable surfaces.
- Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain was higher during HO (1.2) than HC (0.9).
- Reduced visual and somatosensory input positively influenced postural stability with negligible impact on VOR.
Conclusions:
- The vestibular system plays a dominant role in both VOR and postural sway.
- Vestibular input is crucial for maintaining body balance, even when other sensory inputs are diminished.
- Sensory substitution or deprivation studies highlight the hierarchical importance of sensory systems in balance control.