This section outlines reading assignments for the course by topic. Alternating groups present the papers for discussion each week during the class session.
| SES # | TOPICS | READINGS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction and organization, review of peripheral physiology | Goldberg, J. M., Victor J. Wilson, et al. “The Vestibular System in Everyday Life.” Chapter 1 in The Vestibular System, A Sixth Sense. Oxford University Press, 2012, pp. 1–19. ISBN: 9780195167085. [Preview with Google Books] |
| 2 | SCC afferent response dynamics |
Goldberg, J. M., and C. Fernandez. “Physiology of Peripheral Neurons Innervating Semicircular Canals of the Squirrel Monkey. I. Resting Discharge and Response to Constant Angular Accelerations.” Journal of Neurophysiology 34, no. 4 (1971): 635–60. ———. “Physiology of Peripheral Neurons Innervating Semicircular Canals of the Squirrel Monkey. II. Response to Sinusoidal Stimulation and Dynamics of Peripheral Vestibular System.” Journal of Neurophysiology 34, no. 4 (1971): 661–75. |
| 3 | Otolith afferent response; discharge variations |
Fernandez, C., and J. M. Goldberg. “Physiology of Peripheral Neurons Innervating Otolith Organs of the Squirrel Monkey. I. Response to Static Tilts and to Long-Duration Centrifugal Force.” Journal of Neurophysiology 39, no. 5 (1976): 970–84. ———. “Physiology of Peripheral Neurons Innervating Otolith Organs of the Squirrel Monkey. II. Directional Selectivity and Force-Response Relations.” Journal of Neurophysiology 39, no. 5 (1976): 985–95. |
| 4 | Canal- otolith interaction, velocity storage, and modeling |
Merfeld, D. M. “Vestibular Perception and Action Employ Qualitatively Different Mechanisms. II. VOR and Perceptual Responses During Combined Tilt & Translation.” Journal of Neurophysiology 94, no. 1 (2005): 199–205. Reference for Merfeld Paper:Merfeld, D. M. “Vestibular Perception and Action Employ Qualitatively Different Mechanisms. I. Frequency Response of VOR and Perceptual Responses During Translation and Tilt.” Journal of Neurophysiology 94, no. 1 (2005): 186–98. Karmali, F., and D. M. Merfeld. “A Distributed, Dynamic, Parallel Computational Model: The Role of Noise in Velocity Storage.” Journal of Neurophysiology 108, no. 2 (2012): 390–405. |
| 5 | Efferents |
Sadeghi, S. G. “Efferent-Mediated Responses in Vestibular Nerve Afferents of the Alert Macaque.” Journal of Neurophysiology 101, no. 2 (2009): 988–1001. Rabbitt, R. D. “Mechanical Amplification by Hair Cells in the Semicircular Canals.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107, no. 8 (2010): 3864–9. |
| 6 | Noise / thresholds |
Haburcakova, C. “Frequency Dependence of Vestibuloocular Reflex Thresholds.” Journal of Neurophysiology 107, no. 3 (2012): 973–83. Grabherr, L. “Vestibular Thresholds for Yaw Rotation About an Earth-Vertical Axis as a Function of Frequency.” Experimental Brain Research 186, no. 4 (2008): 677–81. |
| 7 | Eye movement control system |
Ciuffreda, K. J., and B. Tannen. Chapters 1, 3–5, and 8 in Eye Movement Basics for the Clinician. Mosby, 1995. ISBN: 9780801668432. Pavlas, D., H. Lum, et al. “How to Build a Low-Cost Eye-Tracking System.” Ergonomics in Design: The Quarterly of Human Factors Applications 20, no. 1 (2012): 18–23. |
| 8 | Active- passive responses and early processing of brainstem signals |
Roy, J. E., and K. E. Cullen. “Dissociating Self-Generated from Passively Applied Head Motion: Neural Mechanisms in the Vestibular Nuclei.” The Journal of Neuroscience 24, no. 9 (2004): 2102–11. Brooks, J. X., and K. E. Cullen. “Multimodal Integration in Rostral Fastigial Nucleus Provides an Estimate of Body Movement.” The Journal of Neuroscience 29, no. 34 (2009): 10499–511. |
| 9 | Cerebellum and adaptation |
Lisberger, S. G., T. A. Pavelko, et al. “Neural Basis for Motor Learning in the Vestibuloocular Reflex of Primates. I. Changes in the Responses of Brain Stem Neurons.” Journal of Neurophysiology 72, no. 2 (1994): 928–53. McElvain, L. E., M. W. Bagnall, et al. “Bidirectional Plasticity Gated by Hyperpolarization Controls the Gain of Postsynaptic Firing Responses at Central Vestibular Nerve Synapses.” Neuron 68, no. 4 (2010): 763–75. |
| 10 | Motion sickness |
Oman, C. M. “Motion Sickness: A Synthesis and Evaluation of the Sensory Conflict Theory.” Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 68, no. 2 (1990): 294–303. ———. “Are Evolutionary Hypotheses for Motion Sickness “Just-So” Stories?” Journal of Vestibular Research 22, no. 2–3 (2012): 117–27. References for Oman 2011:Treisman, M. “Motion Sickness: An Evolutionary Hypothesis.” Science 197, no. 4302 (1977): 493–5. Money, K. E., and B. S. Cheung. “Another Function of the Inner Ear: Facilitation of the Emetic Response to Poisons.” Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine 54, no. 3 (1983): 208–11. |
| 11 | Individual term paper presentations | |
| 12 | Vestibulo spinal pathways, locomotion |
Horak, F. B., and J. M. MacPherson. “Postural Orientation and Equilibrium.” Chapter 7 in Handbook of Physiology: Section 12: Exercise: Regulation and Integration of Multiple Systems. Edited by L. B. Rowell and J. T. Shepherd. American Physiological Society / Oxford University Press, 1996, pp. 255–92. ISBN: 9780195091748. Peterka, R. J. “Sensorimotor Integration in Human Postural Control.” Journal of Neurophysiology 88, no. 3 (2002): 1097–118. |
| 13 | Place and direction and path integration; limbic head direction, place and grid cells |
Best, P. J., A. M. White, et al. “Spatial Processing In The Brain: The Activity of Hippocampal Place Cells.” Annual Review of Neuroscience 24 (2001): 459–86. Buzsaki, G. “Neurons and Navigation.” Nature 436 (2005): 781–2. |
| 14 | Space and aviation applications |
Paloski, W. H., et al. “Risk of Sensory-Motor Performance Failures Affecting Vehicle Control During Space Missions: A Review of the Evidence.” Journal of Gravitational Physiology 15, no. 2 (2008): 1–29. Young, L. R. “Vestibular Reactions to Spaceflight: Human Factors Issues.” Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine 71, no. 9 (2000): A100–4. |
