[Investigations concerning the head-trunk-coordination]

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Vestibular System Research
• Proprioception Studies

Context:

• Current vertigo assessments often focus on reflectory or postural systems.
• Cervicocephalic somatosensory deficit assessment requires novel approaches.
• Head and body coordination is crucial in understanding vertigo.

Purpose:

• To examine cervicocephalic kinesthetic sensibility in head and body coordination.
• To introduce and evaluate two new test series: "subjective zero chin-knee-angle of the occipital joints" and "saccadic repositioning during trunk rotation".
• To differentiate patients with cervicocephalic somatosensory deficits from other groups.

Summary:

• Two novel tests, the "subjective zero chin-knee-angle of the occipital joints" and "saccadic repositioning during trunk rotation", were employed.
• The first test successfully separated patients with cervicocephalic somatosensory deficits from control and vestibular deficit groups.
• The second test revealed significant differences between patients with somatosensory deficits and healthy controls.

Impact:

• The study demonstrates that assessing cervicocephalic kinesthetic sensibility can identify disturbed cervical proprioception.
• These findings offer a new diagnostic avenue for vertigo patients with suspected cervicocephalic somatosensory deficits.
• The introduced tests provide objective measures for evaluating cervical proprioceptive function.