Vestibulo-ocular Physiology Underlying Vestibular Hypofunction

The vestibular system detects motion of the head and maintains stability of images on the fovea of the retina as well as postural control during head motion. Signals representing angular and translational motion of the head as well as the tilt of the head relative to gravity are transduced by the ve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical therapy 2004-04, Vol.84 (4), p.373-385
Main Authors: Schubert, Michael C, Minor, Lloyd B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Analysis
Anatomy & physiology
Audiometry
Causes of
Diagnosis
Diagnostic tests
Dizziness - epidemiology
Dizziness - etiology
Eye Movements
Female
Fovea Centralis - physiology
Gait
Hair Cells, Vestibular - physiology
Head Movements
Humans
Incidence
Motion sickness
Neurophysiology
Oculomotor Muscles - physiology
Otolithic Membrane - physiology
Physical therapy
Posture
Posture - physiology
Prevalence
Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular - physiology
Retina
Semicircular Canals - anatomy & histology
Semicircular Canals - physiology
United States - epidemiology
Vertigo - etiology
Vestibular apparatus
Vestibular Diseases - chemically induced
Vestibular Diseases - diagnosis
Vestibular Diseases - physiopathology
Vestibular Diseases - rehabilitation
Vestibular Function Tests
Vestibule, Labyrinth - anatomy & histology
Vestibule, Labyrinth - physiology
Vestibulo-ocular reflex
Visual Acuity
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Summary:The vestibular system detects motion of the head and maintains stability of images on the fovea of the retina as well as postural control during head motion. Signals representing angular and translational motion of the head as well as the tilt of the head relative to gravity are transduced by the vestibular end organs in the inner ear. This sensory information is then used to control reflexes responsible for maintaining the stability of images on the fovea (the central area of the retina where visual acuity is best) during head movements. Information from the vestibular receptors also is important for posture and gait. When vestibular function is normal, these reflexes operate with exquisite accuracy and, in the case of eye movements, at very short latencies. Knowledge of vestibular anatomy and physiology is important for physical therapists to effectively diagnose and manage people with vestibular dysfunction. The purposes of this article are to review the anatomy and physiology of the vestibular system and to describe the neurophysiological mechanisms responsible for the vestibulo-ocular abnormalities in patients with vestibular hypofunction.
ISSN:0031-9023
1538-6724
DOI:10.1093/ptj/84.4.373