Compensatory Mechanisms Following Vestibular Loss

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究的长期目标是了解前庭病变后凝视稳定系统的适应和补偿能力，并确定驱动补偿过程的机制。对适应/补偿机制的理解将与运动学习相关，这是神经科学中的一个基本问题，并将对我们理解人类如何补偿前庭疾病具有实际意义。这项研究的一个功能性的长期结果将是为前庭疾病患者制定更合适的康复策略。这些康复策略可作为其他神经肌肉运动障碍康复的模式。本研究的第一个目的是确定单侧前庭丧失后头部运动期间凝视稳定性改善的机制。将使用计算机化动态视敏度（DVA）系统测量头部运动期间的凝视稳定性。在前庭康复计划完成之前和之后的DVA测试期间，将使用基于视频的眼动记录技术记录眼动。将表征成功和不成功试验的眼球运动。将分析康复后的眼球运动，以确定前庭眼反射增益是否有所改善、前庭追赶性眼跳的使用是否增加和/或预期缓慢眼球运动的使用是否增加。本研究的第二个目的是确定单侧前庭丧失患者接受前庭适应训练或前庭居住训练的康复计划后，恢复的疗效和性质是否存在差异。将使用DVA、眼动记录、运动敏感度、平衡和步态功能的测量以及功能和损伤的主观测量来评估恢复。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goals of this research are to understand the adaptive and compensatory capabilities of the gaze stability systems following vestibular lesions and to identify the mechanisms that drive the compensation process. An understanding of the adaptive/compensatory mechanisms will be pertinent to motor learning, a fundamental question in neuroscience, and will have practical implications for our understanding of how humans compensate for vestibular disorders. A functional, long-term outcome of this research will be the development of more appropriate rehabilitation strategies for patients with vestibular disorders. These rehabilitation strategies may serve as models for the rehabilitation of other neuromuscular movement disorders. The first aim of the study is to determine the mechanism(s) responsible for improvements in gaze stability during head movements following unilateral vestibular loss. Gaze stability during head movements will be measured using a computerized dynamic visual acuity (DVA) system. Eye movements will be recorded using a video based eye movement recording technique during the DVA test prior to and following the completion of a vestibular rehabilitation program. The eye movements for successful and unsuccessful trials will be characterized. The eye movements post-rehabilitation will be analyzed to determine if there has been an improvement in the vestibulo-ocular reflex gain, an increase in the use of vestibular catch-up saccades, and/or an increase in the use of anticipatory slow eye movements. The second aim of the study is to determine if there is a difference in the efficacy and nature of recovery in individuals with unilateral vestibular loss who are given a rehabilitation program consisting of either vestibular adaptation exercises or a program of vestibular habitation exercises. The recovery will be assessed using DVA, eye movement recording, measures of motion sensitivity, balance and gait function, as well as subjective measures of function and impairment.