Humans use internal models to estimate gravity and linear acceleration
Humans use internal models to estimate gravity and linear acceleration
复制标题
DOI：
10.1038/19303
复制
发表时间：
1999-04-15
期刊：
影响因子：
64.8
通讯作者：
Peterka, RJ
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Merfeld, DM;Zupan, L;Peterka, RJ
因为感觉系统经常提供模糊的信息，所以神经过程必须存在以解决这些模糊性。很可能不同的感觉系统使用相似的神经过程。例如，许多任务需要神经处理来区分线性加速度和重力，但爱因斯坦的等效原理指出，所有线性加速度计必须同时测量线性加速度和重力。在这里，我们研究大脑是否使用内部模型，定义为模仿物理原理的神经系统，以帮助估计线性加速度和重力（2-4）。内部模型可用于运动控制（5-7），感觉运动整合（8-10）和感觉加工（11-14），但这些模型的直接实验证据有限。为了确定人类如何处理模糊的重力和线性加速度线索，受试者在绕地球垂直轴以恒定速度旋转后倾斜。我们表明，这种旋转后倾斜引起的眼球运动包括一个响应组件，即使没有实际的线性加速度发生时，补偿估计的线性加速度。这些测量的响应与我们的内部模型预测一致，即即使不存在真正的线性加速度，神经系统也可以对线性加速度进行非零估计。
Because sensory systems often provide ambiguous information, neural processes must exist to resolve these ambiguities. It is likely that similar neural processes are used by different sensory systems. For example, many tasks require neural processing to distinguish linear acceleration from gravity(1), but Einstein's equivalence principle states that all linear accelerometers must measure both linear acceleration and gravity. Here we investigate whether the brain uses internal models, defined as neural systems that mimic physical principles, to help estimate linear acceleration and gravity(2-4). Internal models may be used in motor control(5-7), sensorimotor integration(8-10) and sensory processing(11-14), but direct experimental evidence for such models is limited. To determine how humans process ambiguous gravity and linear acceleration cues, subjects were tilted after being rotated at a constant velocity about an Earth-vertical axis. We show that the eye movements evoked by this post-rotational tilt include a response component that compensates for the estimated Linear acceleration even when no actual linear acceleration occurs. These measured responses are consistent with our internal model predictions that the nervous system can develop a non-zero estimate of linear acceleration even when no true linear acceleration is present.