Voluntary Control of the Human Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex

Abstract

The ability of normal subjects to increase their vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain with an imagined stationary frame of reference was dependent on their strategy and the test conditions. With large amplitude sinusoidal rotation (>50 degrees) subjects could not increase their VOR gain regardless of the strategy used. With small amplitude excursions (<50 degrees) they could significantly increase their VOR gain if they used a ‘single stripe’ strategy. Accompanying this increase in VOR gain was an increase in the phase lead of VOR slow phase velocity relative to head velocity. Apparently the signal used to augment the VOR gain with an imagined stationary surround had phase characteristics similar to those of primary vestibular afferent neurons.