Study of role of spatial orientation in control of action

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1) Experimental demonstration of the relation of spatial orientation to action controlDuring passive locomotion, the sensation and bodily balance of a driver are quite different from those of a passenger. Therefore, it seems likely that what the brain perceives determines the contents of sensation as well as action. The hypothesis was supported by the present experimental Coriolis stimulation, in which eye movements and bodily balance were recorded while a subejct was standing on a rotating platform.2) Production of an experimental device (rotating platform)Although tilting of a head during passive rotation produces curious eye movements and shifting of the center of pressure, it was hard to explain the phenomenon by a simple rule. In this study, we recorded eye movements and the center of pressure while subjects stood on a rotating platform. Recording was done under both visible and invisible conditions. Eye movements and bodily balance were equally influenced by the vector of the outer world in the brain which can be simply obtained by vector analysis.3) Proposal of a rule for passive and activ control of actionWhile rotating under an invisible condition, the space of outer world in the brain stays stationary since rotation is not perceived. When Corilois stimulation is given, the space in the brain is temporarily occupied by the vector from the labyrinth. As a result, curious eye movements and shift of bodily balance are produced. On the other hand, visible outer world rotates the space in the brain reversely. Although tilting of a head displaces the space in the brain, vestibular input by Corilois stimulation is added to the tilted coordinates in the brain. As a result, the space in the brain is preserved upright irrespective of head tilting.