Skip to main content

Vestibular-Somatosensory Interactions for Human Posture

  • Chapter

Abstract

The postural control system is organized around two main behavioral goals: equilibrium and orientation. The task of controlling equilibrium requires balancing all the forces acting on the body to control the position of the body’s center of mass. The task of maintaining orientation requires interpretation of sensory information from many sources to align body parts with reference to gravitoinertial forces and other environmental features. Automatic postural responses that restore equilibrium in response to external perturbations in stance return the body to a particular orientation; that is, a particular body position which is selected based on particular orientation references (Massion, 1992).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Fitzpatrick, R., Burke, D., and Gandevia, S., 1994, Task-dependent reflex responses and movement illusions evoked by galvanic vestibular stimulation in standing humans, J. Physiol. 478:363–372.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hlavacka, F., and Njiokiktjien, C., 1985, Postural responses evoked by sinusoidal galvanic stimulation of the labyrinth, Acta Otolaryngol. (Stockh.) 99:107–112.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Horak, F.B., and Shupert, C.L., 1994, Role of the Vestibular System in Postural Control. In: Vestibular Rehabilitation, S. J. Herdman, (ed.), F.A. Davis Company, Philadelphia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Inglis, J.T., Shupert, C.L., Hlavacka, F., and Horak, F.B., 1995, The effect of galvanic vestibular stimulation on human postural responses during support surface translations, J. Neurophysiol. 73:896–901.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lund, S. and Broberg, C., 1983, Effects of different head position on postural sway in man induced by a reproducible vestibular error signal, Acta Physiol. Scan. 117:307–309.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Massion, J., 1992, Movement, posture and equilibrium: Interaction and coordination, Prog. Neurobiol. 38:35–56.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nashner, L.M. and Wolfson, P., 1974, Influence of head position and proprioceptive cues on short latency postural reflexes evoked by galvanic stimulation of the human labyrinth, Brain Research 67:255–268.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peterka, R.J., and Benolken, M.S., 1992, Role of somatosensory and vestibular information in attenuating visually-induced human postural sway. In: Posture and Gait: Control Mechanisms Vol. 1, edited by M. Woollacott and F. Horak. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon Press, pp. 272–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Popov, K.E., Smetanin, B.N., Gurfinkel, V.S., Kudinova, M.P., and Shlikov, V.Yu., 1986, Spatial perception and vestibulomotor responses in man, Neurophysiol. (translated from Neirofiziologiya) 18:548–554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Storper, I., and Honrubia, V., 1992, Is human galvanically induced triceps surae electromyogram a vestibulospinal reflex response, Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg. 107:527–536.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • von Holst, E., and Mittelstaedt, H., 1973, The reafference principle: interaction between the central nervous system and the periphery. In: The Collected Papers of Erich von Holst, translated by Robert Martin. Coral Gables, FL: University of Miami Press, pp. 139–173.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Horak, F.B., Shupert, C.L., Hlavačka, F. (1995). Vestibular-Somatosensory Interactions for Human Posture. In: Mergner, T., Hlavačka, F. (eds) Multisensory Control of Posture. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1931-7_29

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1931-7_29

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5791-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-1931-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics