Subjective straight-ahead during neck muscle vibration

Abstract

The subjective visual straight-ahead (SVA) was measured psychophysically before and during unilateral vibration of the posterior neck muscles in order to determine the particular contribution of neck muscle spindles to the perception of body orientation during ageing. We found a symmetrical increase of the vibration-induced displacement of the SVA with advancing age (R = +0.73, p < 0.01, n = 60) in 30 healthy subjects of different ages (range 20-81 years). These data indicate the cervical proprioceptive contribution to multisensory body orientation increases with ageing. One possible interpretation is that the sensorial weight of proprioception increases as the peripheral vestibular input decreases with advancing age, thereby substituting for the lack of vestibular function.

Change of Body Movement Coordination during Cervical Proprioceptive Disturbances with Increased Age

“…This ultimately suggests that the different effects of neck vibration in the elderly compared with the young were not associated with a larger perturbation, but instead associated with age-related changes to the interpretation of cervical proprioceptive information when disturbed by vibration. Interestingly, it is well known that the vestibular system deteriorates in older adults [35,36] . Similarly, proprioception deteriorates in older adults [for review, see ref .…”

Effects of head extension on undisturbed upright stance control in humans

“…Indeed, increases in the ankle torque and in the activity of the soleus muscle is observed when the reliability of the cervical proprioceptive information is altered by vibration of neck muscles [35]. In this case, neck muscle vibration was specifically used to activate the muscle spindle primary endings (e.g., [36]) and to modify the perception of body orientation (e.g., [37,38]). It also is possible that the observed changes CP − CG v motions to be induced by the tonic vestibular and neck reflexes (e.g., [39]), the Extended head position increasing stiffness of the lower limbs by enhancing the level of muscular activity across the knee and ankle joints.…”

Neck Muscle Vibration and Spatial Orientation During Stepping in Place in Humans

“…Furthermore, it can affect the generation of an egocentric body-centered coordinate system. Neck muscle vibration elicits apparent motion of a stationary visual target and deviation of the perceived "straight ahead" (Biguer et al 1988;Karnath et al 1994, Strupp et al 1999Taylor and McCloskey 1991). In "neglect" patients, neck muscle vibration can compensate the horizontal displacement of the sagittal midplane (Karnath 1994;Karnath et al 1993).…”