The Relative Roles of the Otolith Organs and Semicircular Canals in Producing Space Motion Sickness

Issue title: Vestibular Autonomic Regulation

Article type: Review Article

Authors: Parker, Donald E.^;

Affiliations: Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

Note: [1] Reprint address: Donald E. Parker, Box 357923, Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7923. Tel: (206) 285-7528; Fax: (206) 616-1828; E-mail: deparker@u.washington.edu

Abstract: Inflight and post-landing “immunity” to the “coriolis sickness susceptibility test”, observed during the Skylab M131 experiment, suggests that the otolith organs play a major role in space motion sickness (SMS). This view is supported by the report that ocular counter-torsion asymmetries correlate with SMS incidence and severity. Further data indicate that sensory-motor adaptation to microgravity includes a process whereby central interpretation of otolith signals is biased from “tilt” toward translation. However, unexpected responses to linear acceleration suggest the importance of graviceptors distributed throughout the body in addition to the vestibular otolith organs. Research is needed to assess distributed graviceptor effects.

Keywords: graviceptors

DOI: 10.3233/VES-1998-8108

Journal: Journal of Vestibular Research, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 57-59, 1998