Body response to binaural monopolar galvanic vestibular stimulation in humans

We investigated the possibility of obtaining an anteroposterior body response to galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) by applying an equivalent stimulus to both sides of the vestibular apparatus. An original `double fronto-mastoidal' stimulation was used on eight subjects standing with their h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuroscience letters 1998-03, Vol.245 (1), p.37-40
Main Authors: Cauquil, Alexandra Séverac, Gervet, Marie Françoise Tardy, Ouaknine, Maurice
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anatomical correlates of behavior
Anteroposterior balance
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Electric Stimulation
Functional Laterality - physiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Galvanic stimulation
Humans
Orientation - physiology
Posture
Posture - physiology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Space life sciences
Vestibular system
Vestibule, Labyrinth - physiology
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Summary:We investigated the possibility of obtaining an anteroposterior body response to galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) by applying an equivalent stimulus to both sides of the vestibular apparatus. An original `double fronto-mastoidal' stimulation was used on eight subjects standing with their head facing forwards. Both the onset and the cut-off of the current did induce an anteroposterior body tilt, without any lateral component. The amplitude of the tilt increased as a function of stimulus intensity. GVS evokes anteroposterior or lateral sway of similar spatio-temporal features according to the stimulation configuration. We suggest that the central nervous system makes use of the discrepancy between the left and right vestibular activity to orientate the response: equivalent afferent flows would result in an anteroposterior body response whereas lateral sway is obtained with discrepant ones.
ISSN:0304-3940
1872-7972
DOI:10.1016/S0304-3940(98)00161-X