Oculovestibular interactions under microgravity.

Abstract

On a space mission in March 1992 a set of experiments were performed aimed at clarifying the interaction between visual, proprioceptive and vestibular inputs to the equilibrium system. Using the VESTA goggle facility from the European Space Agency we investigated the effect of pure neck receptor stimulation on eye position as measured by the flash afterimage method and on perception of a head-fixed luminous line in space. Space vestibular adaptation processes were measured by rotating pattern perception during prescribed head movements. It was found that static ocular counterrotation does not occur under microgravity conditions. This result suggests that the neck receptors apparently do not contribute to a measurable extent. The subjective orientation of a vertical line was perceived correctly inflight. Obviously neck receptors on the perception level can fully substitute for the ineffective equilibrium organs of the inner ear within less than 4 days. The rotating pattern perception during different head motion patterns is not influenced by the absence of a gravity reference.