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Modification of unilateral otolith responses following spaceflight.

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Listing's plane and the 3D-VOR in microgravity--the role of the otolith afferences.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Assessment of Static Graviceptive Perception in the Roll-Plane using the Subjective Visual Vertical Paradigm
06:30

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Published on: April 28, 2020

Listing's plane and the otolith-mediated gravity vector.

Andrew H Clarke1

  • 1Vestibular Research Lab, ENT Department, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Germany. Andrew.Clarke@charite.de <Andrew.Clarke@charite.de>

Progress in Brain Research
|August 23, 2008
PubMed
Summary

In zero gravity, Listing's plane (LP) orientation significantly shifts, tilting backward and altering eye vergence. This microgravity-induced change in ocular torsion persists during spaceflight and readaptation.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Ophthalmology
  • Space Medicine

Background:

  • Listing's plane (LP) describes the primary orientation of the eye during gaze.
  • Understanding LP's behavior in altered gravity is crucial for vestibular and oculomotor research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of microgravity on Listing's plane orientation.
  • To determine the persistence and readaptation of LP changes after spaceflight.

Main Methods:

  • Subjects underwent parabolic flights (simulating zero-g) and prolonged spaceflight.
  • Measurements included LP elevation, azimuth angles, vergence, and torsional eye position.

Main Results:

  • Zero-g caused a significant backward tilt (approx. 10 degrees) in LP elevation.
  • Vergence angle and torsional eye position showed statistically significant changes in zero-g.
  • LP re-orientation persisted during 6-month spaceflights, with readaptation taking days to weeks.

Conclusions:

  • Elimination of gravity qualitatively alters vestibular and oculomotor systems.
  • Otolith inputs are critical for stabilizing torsional eye position and LP in microgravity.
  • Observed torsional divergence supports the otolith asymmetry hypothesis.