Summary
Visually induced linear motion sensation (linear vection) was obtained by projection of a visual scene moving linearly in a sagittal plane at the periphery of the visual field of healthy subjects standing erect on a force platform. This linear vection induces postural readjustments characterized by an inclination of the subject, in the same direction as the movement of the visual scene, followed by an after-effect. The amplitude of the postural changes was: a) logarithmically proportional to the image velocity and the density (or the spatial frequency) of the image pattern, at highest image velocities there was a saturation of the postural effect due to limits in image motion perception and not to biomechanical constraints; b) dependent appreciably on the size of the moving scene and its relative location (in the visual field).
The frequency analysis of postural readjustments showed a) an increase of the amplitude of postural sway, especially at the low frequencies (from 0.02–0.2 Hz); b) sharp peaks in the power spectrum located between 0.15 and 0.5 Hz.
From the dynamic relationships between the velocity of the moving visual scene and the amplitude of sway, it was concluded that the postural readjustment is proportional to a low pass filtering of the logarithm of the velocity. The contribution of Tibialis Anterior and Soleus was to oppose the body inclination with a resistive force.
These results are analyzed in regard to the current theories concerning visual, vestibular and preceptive interaction in postural mechanisms.
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Lestienne, F., Soechting, J. & Berthoz, A. Postural readjustments induced by linear motion of visual scenes. Exp Brain Res 28, 363–384 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235717
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235717