Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2025
06:18
Assessing the Autonomic and Behavioral Effects of Passive Motion in Rats using Elevator Vertical Motion and Ferris-Wheel Rotation
Published on: February 7, 2020
7.4K
Motion sickness and visual impairment
Camille de Thierry de Faletans1, Eric Watelain1, Pascale Duché1
1Laboratory « Jeunesse - Activité Physique et Sportive- Santé » (J-AP2S) UR 201723207F, University of Toulon, Toulon, France.
Brain Research Bulletin
|September 1, 2024
Summary
Vision significantly impacts motion sickness (MS). Totally blind individuals experience less MS than partially sighted or sighted individuals, indicating vision is a key mediator, not essential for MS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Systems
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Motion sickness (MS) arises from sensory conflicts between vestibular, visual, and somatosensory systems.
- The precise role of vision in modulating MS susceptibility remains an area of investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of visual impairment on motion sickness susceptibility.
- To compare MS susceptibility across totally blind, partially sighted, and sighted individuals.
Main Methods:
- Administered the Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire (MSSQ) to 340 participants (170 visually impaired, 170 sighted).
- Categorized visually impaired subjects by light perception (totally blind vs. partially sighted) and onset (congenital vs. acquired).
- Assessed susceptibility to various transport modes under real-world conditions.
Main Results:
- Totally blind individuals demonstrated significantly lower MS susceptibility than partially sighted (p = 0.001) and sighted (p < 0.001) subjects.
- No significant difference in MS susceptibility was found between partially sighted and sighted subjects (p = 0.526).
- Acquired totally blind individuals were less susceptible than congenitally blind individuals (p = 0.038), suggesting vision is a mediator, not essential for MS.
Conclusions:
- Reduced or absent vision significantly decreases motion sickness susceptibility.
- Vision plays a crucial role in mediating motion sickness, but its absence does not entirely eliminate susceptibility.
- Even totally blind individuals can experience motion sickness, highlighting the contribution of other sensory systems.
Related Concept Videos
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
01:22Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
5.9K
At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...
5.9K
01:22Pathophysiology of Vomiting
342
Vomiting is a complex physiological response to expel harmful or irritating substances from the body. It's a defensive mechanism triggered by stimuli like poisons, microbial toxins, cytotoxic drugs, and mechanical abdominal distension. The process is centrally coordinated by the vomiting (or emetic) center located in the medulla of the brainstem. This area, rich in muscarinic M1, histamine H1, neurokinin 1 (NK1), and serotonin 5-HT3 receptors, coordinates the act of vomiting through...
342
01:29The Vestibular System
39.5K
The vestibular system is a set of inner ear structures that provide a sense of balance and spatial orientation. This system is comprised of structures within the labyrinth of the inner ear, including the cochlea and two otolith organs—the utricle and saccule. The labyrinth also contains three semicircular canals—superior, posterior, and horizontal—that are oriented on different planes.
39.5K
01:12Visual Agnosia
183
Visual agnosia is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize visually presented objects despite having normal vision. For instance, a person with visual agnosia can describe the shape and color of an object but cannot identify or name it. This impairment does not affect their visual field, acuity, color vision, brightness discrimination, language, or memory. An example of this condition in a social setting is someone at a dinner party asking for "that silver thing with a round...
183
01:17Accessory Structures of the Eye
1.5K
Optical perception, or vision, is an extraordinary sense dependent on converting light signals received via the ocular organs. These organs, known as eyes, are securely positioned within the bony cavities of the skull, called orbits. The orbits serve a dual purpose: a protective shield for the ocular globes and a stable attachment point for the soft ocular tissues. The eye's external protective mechanisms include the eyelids, which are edged with lashes that act as a barrier against foreign...
1.5K