Summary
Human subjects continuously estimated their position during and after steps of angular acceleration in complete darkness. These estimations were compared with the same vestibular stimulation in the light while subjects gazed at a striped cylinder which completely enclosed them and was mechanically fixed to the turntable. Rotation with such a fixed visual surround created a sensory conflict: the acceleration is sensed by the vestibular end organs, while the visual system senses no displacement. Accordingly, during the conflict stimulation, the estimation of rotational velocity and its duration is markedly reduced. These findings in humans compare well with nystagmus and single neuron recordings in the vestibular nuclei of alert monkeys.
Zusammenfassung
Versuchspersonen gaben kontinuierlich ihren Drehwinkel während und nach Winkelbeschleunigungen in völliger Dunkelheit an. Anschließend wurden die Versuchspersonen mit den gleichen Parametern im Hellen gedreht, wobei sie von innen auf eine gestreifte Trommel blickten, die den Drehstuhl vollständig umgab und mit ihm rotierte. Dies provozierte einen sensorischen Konflikt: während bei Beschleunigungen über das vestibuläre Endorgan eine Drehung gemeldet wird, wird visuell keine Bildverschiebung gesehen. Entsprechend sind bei der Konfliktreizung Dauer und Größe der Geschwindigkeitsschätzung herabgesetzt. Diese Ergebnisse entsprechen gut Messungen von Nystagmus und Einzelzellaktivität in den vestibulären Kernen bei wachen Affen, die unter identischen Versuchsbedingungen getestet wurden.
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Waespe, B., Waespe, W. & Henn, V. Subjective velocity estimation during conflicting visual-vestibular stimulation. Arch. Psychiat. Nervenkr. 228, 109–116 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00365599
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00365599