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Neck muscle vibration alters visually perceived roll in normals
George J McKenna1, Grace C Y Peng, David S Zee
1Department of Neurology, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA. gjmckenna@bethesda.med.navy.mil
Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology : JARO
|October 22, 2003
Summary
Neck muscle vibration, not bone vibration, significantly alters visual orientation perception during head tilt. This suggests cervical somatosensory input is crucial for maintaining our sense of verticality.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Human Physiology
- Sensory Perception
Background:
- The perception of visual orientation relies on integrating various sensory inputs.
- The role of cervical somatosensory information in visual orientation, particularly in the roll plane, is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if vibrating dorsal neck muscles or mastoid bone affects the subjective visual vertical (SVV) in normal subjects.
- To determine the influence of head position and vibration on SVV perception.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-six healthy subjects participated in the study.
- Subjective visual vertical (SVV) was measured in upright and 30-degree head roll-tilt positions.
- Vibration was applied to dorsal neck muscles and mastoid bones.
Main Results:
- Both head position and vibration independently altered SVV settings.
- Vibration of upper dorsal neck muscles (opposite to head tilt) caused a greater SVV shift than lower neck or mastoid vibration.
- This effect was more pronounced in head-tilted positions.
Conclusions:
- Cervical somatosensory information plays a significant role in visual orientation perception within the roll plane.
- Findings may explain discrepancies in visual orientation between head-only and whole-body tilt.
- Neck muscle vibration could be a tool to assess cervical somatosensory function.