Investigation of the Primate Vestibular System Function Through Analysis of the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex Response to Various Input Stimuli

摘要

An indirect measurement of dynamic responses of the primate vestibular system was obtained through the measurement of eyeball counterroll from six Rhesus monkeys. A control system was developed to provide three types of input stimuli. These stimuli consisted of constant speed rotations, pendular oscillations, and Gaussian random noise. The experimental data was analyzed by use of correlation functions, power spectral density functions, and probability densities. Results show that angular acceleration and the acceleration resulting from centripetal force affect the counterroll response. Gaussian noise position inputs failed to produce counterroll distributions that are Gaussian. Suppression of response to random inputs was observed, indicating that suppression does not necessarily result from anticipation of the input. (Author)