Gaze stabilization in chronic vestibular-loss and in cerebellar ataxia: Interactions of feedforward and sensory feedback mechanisms

Issue title: The Vestibular System: A Clinical and Scientific Update in Siena. In honor of Professor Daniele Nuti, Siena, Italy, April 5–6, 2013

Guest editors: Marco Mandalàx, Stefano Ramaty and David S. Zee

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Sağlam, M.^{a; *} | Lehnen, N.^{a; b}

Affiliations: [a] German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, Munich University Hospital, Munich, Germany | [b] Department of Neurology, Munich University Hospital, Munich, Germany | [x] Otological and Skull Base Surgery Department, S.M. delle Scotte Hospital, Siena, Italy | [y] Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Murat Sağlam, German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 19, 81377 Munich, Germany. Tel.: +49 89 44007 4826; Fax: +49 89 7095 4801; E-mail: murat.saglam@lrz.uni-muenchen.de

Abstract: During gaze shifts, humans can use visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive feedback, as well as feedforward mechanisms, for stabilization against active and passive head movements. The contributions of feedforward and sensory feedback control, and the role of the cerebellum, are still under debate. To quantify these contributions, we increased the head moment of inertia in three groups (ten healthy, five chronic vestibular-loss and nine cerebellar-ataxia patients) while they performed large gaze shifts to flashed targets in darkness. This induces undesired head oscillations. Consequently, both active (desired) and passive (undesired) head movements had to be compensated for to stabilize gaze. All groups compensated for active and passive head movements, vestibular-loss patients less than the other groups (P < 0.001, passive/active compensatory gains: vestibular-loss 0.23 ± 0.09/0.43 ± 0.12, healthy 0.80 ± 0.17/0.83 ± 0.15, cerebellar-ataxia 0.68 ± 0.17/0.77 ± 0.30, mean ± SD). The compensation gain ratio against passive and active movements was smaller than one in vestibular-loss patients (0.54 ± 0.10, P=0.001). Healthy and cerebellar-ataxia patients did not differ in active and passive compensation. In summary, vestibular-loss patients can better stabilize gaze against active than against passive head movements. Therefore, feedforward mechanisms substantially contribute to gaze stabilization. Proprioception alone is not sufficient (gain 0.2). Stabilization against active and passive head movements was not impaired in our cerebellar ataxia patients.

Keywords: Eye-head coordination, vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), cervico-collic reflex (COR), proprioception, efference copy

DOI: 10.3233/VES-140538

Journal: Journal of Vestibular Research, vol. 24, no. 5-6, pp. 425-431, 2014