Integration of Semi-Circular Canal and Otolith Cues for Direction Discrimination during Eccentric Rotations. 2015

Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Department: Human Perception, Cognition and Action, Tübingen, Germany.

Humans are capable of moving about the world in complex ways. Every time we move, our self-motion must be detected and interpreted by the central nervous system in order to make appropriate sequential movements and informed decisions. The vestibular labyrinth consists of two unique sensory organs the semi-circular canals and the otoliths that are specialized to detect rotation and translation of the head, respectively. While thresholds for pure rotational and translational self-motion are well understood surprisingly little research has investigated the relative role of each organ on thresholds for more complex motion. Eccentric (off-center) rotations during which the participant faces away from the center of rotation stimulate both organs and are thus well suited for investigating integration of rotational and translational sensory information. Ten participants completed a psychophysical direction discrimination task for pure head-centered rotations, translations and eccentric rotations with 5 different radii. Discrimination thresholds for eccentric rotations reduced with increasing radii, indicating that additional tangential accelerations (which increase with radius length) increased sensitivity. Two competing models were used to predict the eccentric thresholds based on the pure rotation and translation thresholds: one assuming that information from the two organs is integrated in an optimal fashion and another assuming that motion discrimination is solved solely by relying on the sensor which is most strongly stimulated. Our findings clearly show that information from the two organs is integrated. However the measured thresholds for 3 of the 5 eccentric rotations are even more sensitive than predictions from the optimal integration model suggesting additional non-vestibular sources of information may be involved.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009039 Motion Perception The real or apparent movement of objects through the visual field. Movement Perception,Perception, Motion,Perception, Movement
D010037 Otolithic Membrane A gelatinous membrane overlying the acoustic maculae of SACCULE AND UTRICLE. It contains minute crystalline particles (otoliths) of CALCIUM CARBONATE and protein on its outer surface. In response to head movement, the otoliths shift causing distortion of the vestibular hair cells which transduce nerve signals to the BRAIN for interpretation of equilibrium. Otoconia,Otoliths,Statoconia,Membrane, Otolithic,Membranes, Otolithic,Otoconias,Otolith,Otolithic Membranes,Statoconias
D011601 Psychophysics The science dealing with the correlation of the physical characteristics of a stimulus, e.g., frequency or intensity, with the response to the stimulus, in order to assess the psychologic factors involved in the relationship. Psychophysic
D012027 Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular A reflex wherein impulses are conveyed from the cupulas of the SEMICIRCULAR CANALS and from the OTOLITHIC MEMBRANE of the SACCULE AND UTRICLE via the VESTIBULAR NUCLEI of the BRAIN STEM and the median longitudinal fasciculus to the OCULOMOTOR NERVE nuclei. It functions to maintain a stable retinal image during head rotation by generating appropriate compensatory EYE MOVEMENTS. Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex,Reflex, Vestibuloocular,Reflexes, Vestibo-Ocular,Reflexes, Vestibuloocular,Reflex, Vestibulo Ocular,Reflexes, Vestibo Ocular,Vestibo-Ocular Reflexes,Vestibulo Ocular Reflex,Vestibuloocular Reflex,Vestibuloocular Reflexes
D003463 Cues Signals for an action; that specific portion of a perceptual field or pattern of stimuli to which a subject has learned to respond. Cue
D005260 Female Females
D006257 Head The upper part of the human body, or the front or upper part of the body of an animal, typically separated from the rest of the body by a neck, and containing the brain, mouth, and sense organs. Heads
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000054 Acceleration An increase in the rate of speed. Accelerations

Related Publications

Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
November 2002, Experimental brain research,
Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
January 2000, Archives italiennes de biologie,
Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
January 2021, Frontiers in integrative neuroscience,
Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
March 2008, Experimental brain research,
Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
July 2019, Attention, perception & psychophysics,
Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
January 1979, Brain research,
Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
July 2005, Experimental brain research,
Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
January 1994, ORL; journal for oto-rhino-laryngology and its related specialties,
Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
January 1968, The Journal of laryngology and otology,
Florian Soyka, and Heinrich H Bülthoff, and Michael Barnett-Cowan
January 1989, Experimental brain research,
Copied contents to your clipboard!