Motion sickness and gastric myoelectric activity as a function of speed of rotation of a circular vection drum.
Motion sickness symptoms and electrogastrograms (EGGs) were obtained from 60 healthy subjects while they viewed an optokinetic drum rotated at one of four speeds: 15, 30, 60 or 90 degrees.s-1. All subjects experienced vection, illusory self-motion. Motion sickness symptoms increased as drum speed increased up to 60 degrees.s-1; i.e., symptoms decreased at 90 degrees.s-1. Power, spectral intensity, of the EGG at the tachygastria frequencies (4-9 cpm) was calculated at each drum rotation speed since previous studies have shown a close correspondence between development of tachygastrias and motion sickness symptoms. Power at 4-9 cpm increased as a function of drum speed up to 60 degrees.s-1 and then decreased at 90 degrees.s-1. Power at 4-9 cpm and 60 degrees.s-1 was significantly greater than at 15 degrees.s-1. The correlation between the motion sickness symptoms and the power at 4-9 cpm was significant. Thus, drum rotation speed influenced the spectral power of the EGG at 4-9 cpm, tachygastria, and the intensity of motion sickness symptoms.
Hu
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Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802.
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D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009041:Motion Sickness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012399:Rotation; D013270:Stomach / Q000503:physiopathology*