title: Representation of visual gravitational motion in the human vestibular cortex.
abstract: How do we perceive the visual motion of objects that are accelerated by gravity? We propose that, because vision is poorly sensitive to accelerations, an internal model that calculates the effects of gravity is derived from graviceptive information, is stored in the vestibular cortex, and is activated by visual motion that appears to be coherent with natural gravity. The acceleration of visual targets was manipulated while brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging. In agreement with the internal model hypothesis, we found that the vestibular network was selectively engaged when acceleration was consistent with natural gravity. These findings demonstrate that predictive mechanisms of physical laws of motion are represented in the human brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuromotor Physiology, Scientific Institute Foundation Santa Lucia, via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Iole
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Indovina
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maffei
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bosco
authors.forename: Myrka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zago
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Macaluso
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lacquaniti
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006112:Gravitation; D018466:Gravity Sensing; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008954:Models, Biological; D009039:Motion Perception; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000502:physiology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000502:physiology; D014795:Visual Pathways