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Eyes open versus eyes closed: effect on human rotational responses
1Department of Otolaryngology, Eye and Ear Hospital of Pittsburgh.
The Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology
|August 1, 1989
Summary
Eyelid closure impacts vestibular reflexes differently depending on rotation axis. For earth vertical axis (EVA) rotation, eyes open in the dark (EOD) yielded better results than eyes closed (EC).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Vestibular System Function
- Oculomotor Reflexes
Background:
- The vestibular system, crucial for balance and spatial orientation, relies on sensory input from the inner ear.
- Rotational vestibular stimulation is a key diagnostic tool for assessing vestibular function.
- The influence of visual input, specifically eyelid status, on vestibular responses requires further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of eyelid closure on human responses to rotational vestibular stimulation.
- To compare responses during earth vertical axis (EVA) and earth horizontal axis (EHA) yaw rotations with eyes closed (EC) versus eyes open in the dark (EOD).
Main Methods:
- Sixteen healthy subjects underwent yaw rotations along EVA and EHA.
- Vestibular responses were recorded under two visual conditions: EC and EOD.
- Data analysis focused on response magnitude, variability, and the influence of periodic gaze.
Main Results:
- For EVA rotation, EOD resulted in larger magnitude and less variable responses compared to EC.
- For EHA rotation, responses with EC were of larger magnitude and equally variable as EOD.
- Eyelid closure altered the quality of EHA responses by influencing periodic gaze.
Conclusions:
- Eyelid closure significantly affects both canal-ocular and otolith-ocular reflexes.
- Rotational vestibular testing, for both EVA and EHA, is recommended to be performed with subjects' eyes open in the dark (EOD) for more reliable results.