Vestibular thresholds, including psychophysical response dynamics

描述（由申请人提供）：最近的研究表明，前庭线索诱发的反射和感知可以利用性质上不同的机制;然而，关于前庭感知的知识很少。这可能是为什么大部分前庭患者报告未诊断的感知缺陷。不管解释如何，许多知觉缺陷的根本原因都没有得到诊断。除了主观视觉垂直测试外，定量临床测试只关注反射反应。然而，最好的方法来分析未确诊的运动知觉症状是通过知觉测试。因此，本文提出的研究的临床目标是建立精确有效的方法来量化运动感知，更具体地说，检测感知阈值。为了实现这些临床目标，我们建议在基础科学研究的同时进行患者测试。具体而言，该提案的一个基本科学目标是确定旋转，平移和倾斜的阈值作为频率的函数。令人惊讶的是，由动态倾斜刺激诱发的倾斜阈值从未被报道过。此外，我们对旋转和平移阈值作为频率函数的知识是有限的，这对于临床测试和前庭感知动力学的科学理解都至关重要。使用阈值测试，我们还建议研究前庭感知的另一个基本特征。具体来说，我们建议研究用于运动感知的坐标系。当我们专注于感知时，我们还建议测量VOR阈值。为了实现上述所有目标，我们提出了一套全面的研究，使用患者，猴子，和“正常”，以实现以下具体目标：SA 1。测量“正常”人的感知阈值：A）围绕地球垂直轴的旋转（仅耳道），B）平移（仅耳石）和C）倾斜（耳道和耳石）。SA 2.测量恒河猴的偏航旋转（仅耳道）、耳间平移（仅耳石）和滚动倾斜（耳道和耳石）的感知和VOR阈值。SA 3.测量患有已知前庭疾病的患者的旋转、平移和倾斜的感知阈值。 公共卫生相关性：很大比例的前庭患者报告知觉缺陷（例如，虚幻的摇摆运动）。除了主观视觉垂直测试，其分析静态视觉和静态倾斜线索的整合，定量临床测试专门关注反射反应（例如，姿势、VOR等）。似乎最好的方法来分析未确诊的运动知觉症状是通过知觉测试使用动态运动刺激。因此，本文提出的研究的临床目标是建立精确有效的方法来量化运动感知，更具体地说，检测感知阈值。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Recent studies have shown that reflexes and perception evoked by vestibular cues can utilize qualitatively different mechanisms; yet there is a paucity of knowledge regarding vestibular perception. This may be why large percentages of vestibular patients report perceptual deficits that are undiagnosed. Regardless of explanation, the underlying causes of many perceptual deficits are not diagnosed. With the exception of the subjective visual vertical test, quantitative clinical tests focus exclusively on reflexive responses. However, the best way to assay undiagnosed motion perception symptoms is via perceptual testing. Therefore, the clinical goal for the research proposed herein is to establish precise efficient methods to quantify motion perception in general and, more specifically, to assay perceptual thresholds. To achieve these clinical goals, we propose patient testing alongside basic science studies. Specifically, one basic science goal of this proposal is to determine thresholds for rotation, translation, and tilt as functions of frequency. To our surprise, tilt thresholds evoked by dynamic tilt stimuli have never been reported. Furthermore, our knowledge of rotation and translation thresholds as a function of frequency - crucial both for clinical testing and for a scientific understanding of the dynamics of vestibular perception - is limited. Using threshold tests, we also propose to study another fundamental characteristic of vestibular perception. Specifically we propose to study the coordinate frame(s) utilized for motion perception. While we focus on perception, we also propose to measure VOR thresholds. To accomplish all of the above goals, we propose a comprehensive set of studies using patients, monkeys, and "normals" to achieve the following specific aims: SA 1. Measure perceptual thresholds in "normal" humans for A) rotations about an earth-vertical axis (canal only), B) for translations (otolith only), and C) for tilts (canal & otolith) across a wide range of frequencies. SA 2. Measure both perceptual and VOR thresholds for yaw rotation (canal only), inter-aural translation (otolith only) and roll tilt (canal and otolith) in rhesus monkeys. SA 3. Measure perceptual thresholds for rotation, translation, and tilt in patients suffering known vestibular disorders. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Large percentages of vestibular patients report perceptual deficits (e.g., illusory sway motions) that are undiagnosed. With the exception of the subjective visual vertical test, which assays integration of static visual and static tilt cues, quantitative clinical tests focus exclusively on reflexive responses (e.g., posture, VOR, etc.). It seems likely that the best way to assay undiagnosed motion perception symptoms is via perceptual testing using dynamic motion stimuli. Therefore, the clinical goal for the research proposed herein is to establish precise efficient methods to quantify motion perception in general and, more specifically, to assay perceptual thresholds.