title: Does habitual, vigorous optokinetic stimulation alter optokinetic nystagmus and sensitivity to circularvection?
abstract: Previous studies have shown that experience with optokinetic stimulation can alter a subject's sensitivity to illusions such as circularvection (CV). The aim of the present experiment was to compare optokinetic nystagmus (OKN), optokinetic afternystagmus (OKAN), and sensitivity to CV between 2 groups of sportspeople: 1) squash players (n = 16), who regularly experience vigorous optokinetic stimulation while engaging in their sporting activity, and 2) weightlifters (n = 16), whose sport does not involve the same degree of optokinetic stimulation as squash, but who nevertheless have to achieve a high degree of physical skill. OKN, OKAN (frequency, slow phase velocity, and timeconstant), and latency to CV (Stage 2 and Stage 3) were measured using electro-oculographic recording inside an optokinetic drum. Contrary to predictions, there were no significant differences in OKN, OKAN, or latency to CV between the 2 groups. These results suggest that 1) the practice effects that alter the sensitivity to CV may decay relatively quickly, and 2) differences in recreational sporting activities between subjects may not be a significant confounding factor in visual-vestibular interaction experiments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and the Neuroscience Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Matheson
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Titov
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Darlington
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000360:Afterimage / Q000502:physiology*; D004585:Electrooculography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D017120:Nystagmus, Optokinetic / Q000502:physiology*; D011601:Psychophysics; D015865:Racquet Sports / Q000502:physiology; D012399:Rotation; D012677:Sensation; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology