How body position changes visual vertical perception after unilateral vestibular loss.
Visual vertical perception, posture and equilibrium are impaired in patients with a unilateral vestibular loss. The present study was designed to investigate whether body position (standing upright, sitting on a chair and lying supine) influences the visual vertical perception in Menière's patients tested before and after a unilateral vestibular neurotomy. Data were compared with sex- and age-matched healthy participants. During the first postoperative month the body position strongly influences the visual vertical perception. The ipsilesional deviation of the visual vertical judgment gradually increased from standing upright to sitting and to lying supine. The present data indicate that visual vertical perception improves when postural control is more demanding. This suggests that postural balance is a key reference for vertical perception, at least up to one month after vestibular loss.
Lopez
Christophe
C
Laboratoire de Neurobiologie Intégrative et Adaptative, CNRS - Université de Provence, Marseille, France. christophe.lopez@epfl.ch
Lacour
Michel
M
Léonard
Jacques
J
Magnan
Jacques
J
Borel
Liliane
L
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D016683:Supine Position / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014717:Vertigo / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*