Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2025
10:12
Three Dimensional Vestibular Ocular Reflex Testing Using a Six Degrees of Freedom Motion Platform
Published on: May 23, 2013
15.9K
Human proprioceptive gaze stabilization during passive body rotations underneath a fixed head
1Division of Eye and Vision, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Marianne Bernadotte Centrum, St. Erik's Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. tobias.wibble@ki.se.
Scientific Reports
|July 29, 2024
Summary
Neck proprioception can stabilize gaze during body movement. This study found that neck flexion, combined with visual input, causes eye torsion, suggesting a predictive gaze-stabilizing reflex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Gaze stabilization is crucial for clear vision.
- The role of neck proprioception in gaze control is not fully understood.
- Previous research suggests the vestibular system is key for gaze stabilization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if neck proprioception influences torsional gaze stabilization.
- To determine if passive neck movements elicit compensatory eye movements.
- To explore the role of visual input in this response.
Main Methods:
- Thirteen healthy participants underwent passive body rotations in a mechanical sled.
- Head position was stabilized, and eye movements were tracked using an eye tracker.
- Stimulation occurred in both darkness and with a visual scene.
- Torsional eye position was compared before and after neck flexion/extension under different visual conditions.
Main Results:
- Passive neck flexion induced ocular torsion when a visual background was present.
- Eye rotations opposed neck extension, mimicking a head tilt to maintain visual stability.
- This predictive gaze-stabilizing response was absent in trials conducted in darkness.
Conclusions:
- Neck proprioception, when combined with visual cues, can generate a predictive gaze-stabilizing response.
- This suggests a proprioceptive contribution to maintaining visual orientation.
- The findings highlight a potential interplay between neck afferents and visual information for gaze control.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:26Rotational Motion about a Fixed Axis
450
A rigid body's rotation around a fixed axis makes every point within it trace a circular path around a specific line or point. The term given to this type of spinning is defined by the angular position, symbolized by the angle θ. This angle is gauged from a static reference line to the revolving object. From this angular position, any variation is referred to as angular displacement, denoted by dθ. The extent of this displacement can be calculated in degrees, radians, or...
450
01:02Gyroscope
2.9K
A gyroscope is defined as a spinning disk in which the axis of rotation is free to assume any orientation. When spinning, the orientation of the spin axis is unaffected by the orientation of the body that encloses it. The body or vehicle enclosing the gyroscope can be moved from place to place, while the orientation of the spin axis remains the same. This makes gyroscopes very useful in navigation, especially where magnetic compasses cannot be used, such as in crewed and crewless spacecraft,...
2.9K
01:29Relative Motion Analysis using Rotating Axes-Problem Solving
394
Consider a crane whose telescopic boom rotates with an angular velocity of 0.04 rad/s and angular acceleration of 0.02 rad/s2. Along with the rotation, the boom also extends linearly with a uniform speed of 5 m/s. The extension of the boom is measured at point D, which is measured with respect to the fixed point C on the other end of the boom. For the given instant, the distance between points C and D is 60 meters.
Here, in order to determine the magnitude of velocity and acceleration for point...
Here, in order to determine the magnitude of velocity and acceleration for point...
394
01:24Gyroscope: Precession
4.0K
Precession can be demonstrated effectively through a spinning top. If a spinning top is placed on a flat surface near the surface of the Earth at a vertical angle and is not spinning, it will fall over due to the force of gravity producing a torque acting on its center of mass. However, if the top is spinning on its axis, it precesses about the vertical direction, rather than topple over due to this torque. Precessional motion is a combination of a steady circular motion of the axis and the...
4.0K
01:15Equilibrium and Balance
4.6K
The inner ear assumes dual functionalities of auditory perception and equilibrium maintenance. The vestibule is the organ responsible for balance. This organ contains mechanoreceptors, specifically hair cells, endowed with stereocilia, which aid in deciphering information regarding the position and motion of our heads. Two intrinsic components, the utricle and saccule, help perceive head position, while the semicircular canals track head movement. Neurological messages initiated in the...
4.6K
01:25Relative Motion Analysis using Rotating Axes
452
Consider a component AB undergoing a linear motion. Along with a linear motion, point B also rotates around point A. To comprehend this complex movement, position vectors for both points A and B are established using a stationary reference frame.
However, to express the relative position of point B relative to point A, an additional frame of reference, denoted as x'y', is necessary. This additional frame not only translates but also rotates relative to the fixed frame, making it...
However, to express the relative position of point B relative to point A, an additional frame of reference, denoted as x'y', is necessary. This additional frame not only translates but also rotates relative to the fixed frame, making it...
452