DECODING OF GRAVICEPTOR CUES, INCLUDING ADAPTIVE CHANGES

本研究的长期目标是了解半规管（测量旋转）和视觉系统（测量方向和运动）的感觉线索如何影响耳石器官（测量重力和线性加速度）的感觉线索的解释。为了实现这一目标，本建议的重点是研究的适应性变化的解释耳石线索所造成的过渡到改变重力环境。了解这些关键的系统水平的前庭补偿和动态适应的过程将提供基础，以促进有针对性的行为方法的管理平衡和前庭疾病和适应改变重力环境的发展。该补助金的七个具体目标是：1。研究人类神经系统如何将耳石重力惯性力的测量值分解为1-G环境中的重力和线性加速度的估计值。2.研究神经系统如何将重力惯性力分解为超重力环境中的重力和线性加速度的估计。3.研究人类神经系统如何将耳石测量的重力惯性力分解为超重力环境中的重力和线性加速度估计的适应性变化。4.调查在何种程度上对高频惯性刺激的反应，通常主要解释为平移，可以适应产生增加的倾斜反应。5.调查在何种程度上对低频惯性刺激的反应，通常主要解释为倾斜，可以适应产生增加的平移反应。6.研究重力感受器介导的倾斜和翻译在多大程度上发生了特定的适应。7.开发和测试我们的视觉前庭相互作用的系统方法模型。实验的具体目标将通过测量眼球运动和感知反应来解决。 建模的具体目标将使用数值计算机模拟来解决。

The long term goal of this research is to understand how sensory cues from the semicircular canals (measuring rotation) and the visual system (measuring orientation and motion) influence the interpretation of sensory cues from the otolith organs (measuring gravity and linear acceleration). To accomplish this goal, this proposal focuses on the study of adaptive changes in the interpretation of otolith cues caused by transitions to altered gravitational environments. Understanding these key systems-level processes underlying vestibular compensation and dynamic adaptation will provide the foundation to facilitate the development of targeted behavioral approaches for the management of balance and vestibular disorders and adaptation to altered gravitational environments. The seven specific aims of this grant are: 1. Investigate how the human nervous system resolves otolith measurements of gravito-inertial force into estimates of gravity and linear acceleration in a 1-G environment. 2. Investigate how the nervous system resolves gravito-inertial force into estimates of gravity and linear acceleration in hypergravic environments. 3. Investigate adaptive changes in how the human nervous system resolves otolith measurement of gravito-inertial force into estimates of gravity and linear acceleration in hypergravic environments. 4. Investigate to what extent responses to high frequency inertial stimuli, normally interpreted primarily as translation, can be adapted to yield increased tilt responses. 5. Investigate to what extent responses to low frequency inertial stimuli, normally interpreted primarily as tilt, can be adapted to yield increased translation responses. 6. Investigate to what extent context specific adaptation of graviceptor mediated tilt and translation occurs. 7. Develop and test our systems approach model of visual-vestibular interactions. The experimental specific aims will be addressed by measuring eye movements and perceptual responses. The modeling specific aim will be addressed using numerical computer simulations.