Changes in gain of horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex during spaceflight

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is a basic function of the vestibular system that stabilizes gaze during head movement. Investigations on how spaceflight affects VOR gain and phase are few, and the magnitude of observed changes varies considerably and depends on the protocols used.

We investigated whether the gain and phase of the VOR in darkness and the visually assisted VOR were affected during and after spaceflight.

We measured the VOR gain and phase of 4 astronauts during and after a Space Shuttle spaceflight while the subjects voluntary oscillated their head around the yaw axis at 0.33 Hz or 1 Hz and fixed their gaze on a visual target (VVOR) or imagined this target when vision was occluded (DVOR). Eye position was recorded using electrooculography and angular velocity of the head was recorded with angular rate sensors.

The VVOR gain at both oscillation frequencies remained near unity for all trials. DVOR gain was more variable inflight and postflight. Early inflight and immediately after the flight, DVOR gain was lower than before the flight. The phase between head and eye position was not altered by spaceflight.

The decrease in DVOR gain early in the flight and after the flight reflects adaptive changes in central integration of vestibular and proprioceptive sensory inputs during active head movements.