title: Unilateral vestibular loss impairs external space representation.
abstract: The vestibular system is responsible for a wide range of postural and oculomotor functions and maintains an internal, updated representation of the position and movement of the head in space. In this study, we assessed whether unilateral vestibular loss affects external space representation. Patients with Menière's disease and healthy participants were instructed to point to memorized targets in near (peripersonal) and far (extrapersonal) spaces in the absence or presence of a visual background. These individuals were also required to estimate their body pointing direction. Menière's disease patients were tested before unilateral vestibular neurotomy and during the recovery period (one week and one month after the operation), and healthy participants were tested at similar times. Unilateral vestibular loss impaired the representation of both the external space and the body pointing direction: in the dark, the configuration of perceived targets was shifted toward the lesioned side and compressed toward the contralesioned hemifield, with higher pointing error in the near space. Performance varied according to the time elapsed after neurotomy: deficits were stronger during the early stages, while gradual compensation occurred subsequently. These findings provide the first demonstration of the critical role of vestibular signals in the representation of external space and of body pointing direction in the early stages after unilateral vestibular loss.
authors: Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France ; CNRS, UMR 7260 Laboratoire de Neurosciences Intégratives et Adaptatives, Marseille, France.
authors: Liliane
authors: L
authors: Borel
authors: Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Redon-Zouiteni
authors: Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Cauvin
authors: Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France ; CNRS, UMR 7260 Laboratoire de Neurosciences Intégratives et Adaptatives, Marseille, France.
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Dumitrescu
authors: Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France ; Service d'Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie et Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale, Hôpital Nord, Marseille, France.
authors: Arnaud
authors: A
authors: Devèze
authors: Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France ; CNRS, UMR 7260 Laboratoire de Neurosciences Intégratives et Adaptatives, Marseille, France.
authors: Jacques
authors: J
authors: Magnan
authors: Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France ; INSERM, UMR_S 1106 Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France.
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Péruch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005133:Eye Movements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009949:Orientation; D004856:Postural Balance; D013028:Space Perception; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000628:therapy; D014717:Vertigo / Q000628:therapy; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000601:surgery