A model of responses of horizontal-canal-related vestibular nuclei neurons that respond to linear head acceleration
No abstract available
NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗
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Three-dimensional eye velocity measurement following postrotational tilt in the monkey
No abstract available
NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗
A model for the characterization of the spatial properties in vestibular neurons
Quantitative study of the static and dynamic response properties of some otolith-sensitive neurons has been difficult in the past partly because their responses to different linear acceleration vectors exhibited no "null" plane and a dependence of phase on stimulus orientation. The theoretical formulation of the response ellipse provides a quantitative way to estimate the spatio-temporal properties of such neurons. Its semi-major axis gives the direction of the polarization vector (i.e., direction of maximal sensitivity) and it estimates the neuronal response for stimulation along that direction. In addition, the semi-minor axis of the ellipse provides an estimate of the neuron's maximal sensitivity in the "null" plane. In this paper, extracellular recordings from otolith-sensitive vestibular nuclei neurons in decerebrate rats were used to demonstrate the practical application of the method. The experimentally observed gain and phase dependence on the orientation angle of the acceleration vector in a head-horizontal plane was described and satisfactorily fit by the response ellipse model. In addition, the model satisfactorily fits neuronal responses in three-dimensions and unequivocally demonstrates that the response ellipse formulation is the general approach to describe quantitatively the spatial properties of vestibular neurons.
Non-NASA Center↗
The central role of voltage-activated and receptor-operated calcium channels in neuronal cells
No abstract available
NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗
Modeling the spatiotemporal organization of velocity storage in the vestibuloocular reflex by optokinetic studies
1. A generalized three-dimensional state space model of visual vestibular interaction was developed. Matrix and dynamical system operators associated with inputs from the semicircular canals, otolith velocity estimator, and the visual system have been incorporated into the model, which focus on their relationship to the velocity storage integrator. 2. A relationship was postulated between the eigenvalues and the direction of the eigenvectors of the system matrix and the orientation of the spatial vertical. It was assumed that the system matrix for a tilted position was a composition of two linear transformations of the system matrix for the upright position. One transformation modifies the eigenvalues of the system matrix, whereas another rotates the eigenvectors of the system matrix. The pitch and roll eigenvectors rotate with the head, whereas the yaw axis eigenvector remains approximately spatially invariant. 3. Based on the three-dimensional model, a computational procedure was formulated to identify the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the system matrix with the use of a modification of the marquardt algorithm. With the use of data obtained from a monkey, it was shown that the three-dimensional behavior of velocity storage cannot be predicted solely in terms of its time constants, i.e., the inverse of its eigenvalues. With the use of the same eigenvalues the data could either be fit or not fit, depending on the eigenvector directions. Therefore, it is necessary to specify eigenvector directions when characterizing velocity storage in three dimensions. 4. Parameters found with the use of the Marquardt algorithm were incorporated into the model. Diagonal matrices in a head coordinate frame were introduced for coupling the visual system to the integrator and to the direct optokinetic pathway. Simulations of optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) and optokinetic after-nystagmus (OKAN) were run. The model predicted the behavior of yaw and pitch OKN and OKAN when the animal is upright. It also predicted the cross-coupling in the side down position. The trajectories in velocity space were also accurately simulated. 5. One of the predictions of the model is that when the stimulus direction is along an eigenvector, the trajectory in velocity space is a straight line. Using the "spectral width" of the residuals from a straight line sequence during OKAN, we developed a methodology to estimate how close the OKAN decay was to an eigenvector trajectory. 6. Thus we have developed a model-based approach for studying and interpreting the response characteristics of velocity storage in three dimensions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS).
Non-NASA Center↗
Response properties of gerbil otolith afferents to small angle pitch and roll tilts
The responses from isolated single otolith afferent fibers were obtained to small angle sinusoidal pitch and roll tilts in anesthetized gerbils. The stimulus directions that produced the maximum (response vector) and minimum response sensitivities were determined for each otolith afferent, with response vectors for the units being spread throughout the horizontal plane, similar to those reported for other species. A breadth of tuning measure was derived, with narrowly tuned neurons responding maximally to stimulation in one direction and minimally along an orthogonal ('null') direction. Most (approximately 80%) otolith afferents are narrowly tuned, however, some fibers were broadly tuned responding significantly to stimulations in any direction in the horizontal plane. The number of broadly tuned otolith afferents (approximately 20%) differs significantly from the more substantial number of broadly tuned vestibular nuclei neurons (88%) recently reported in rats.
NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗
Expansion of direction space around the cardinal axes revealed by smooth pursuit eye movements
It is well established that perceptual direction discrimination shows an oblique effect; thresholds are higher for motion along diagonal directions than for motion along cardinal directions. Here, we compare simultaneous direction judgments and pursuit responses for the same motion stimuli and find that both pursuit and perceptual thresholds show similar anisotropies. The pursuit oblique effect is robust under a wide range of experimental manipulations, being largely resistant to changes in trajectory (radial versus tangential motion), speed (10 versus 25 deg/s), directional uncertainty (blocked versus randomly interleaved), and cognitive state (tracking alone versus concurrent tracking and perceptual tasks). Our data show that the pursuit oblique effect is caused by an effective expansion of direction space surrounding the cardinal directions and the requisite compression of space for other directions. This expansion suggests that the directions around the cardinal directions are in some way overrepresented in the visual cortical pathways that drive both smooth pursuit and perception.
Visual Pathways/physiology↗
A least-squares parameter estimation algorithm for switched hammerstein systems with applications to the VOR
A "Multimode" or "switched" system is one that switches between various modes of operation. When a switch occurs from one mode to another, a discontinuity may result followed by a smooth evolution under the new regime. Characterizing the switching behavior of these systems is not well understood and, therefore, identification of multimode systems typically requires a preprocessing step to classify the observed data according to a mode of operation. A further consequence of the switched nature of these systems is that data available for parameter estimation of any subsystem may be inadequate. As such, identification and parameter estimation of multimode systems remains an unresolved problem. In this paper, we 1) show that the NARMAX model structure can be used to describe the impulsive-smooth behavior of switched systems, 2) propose a modified extended least squares (MELS) algorithm to estimate the coefficients of such models, and 3) demonstrate its applicability to simulated and real data from the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR). The approach will also allow the identification of other nonlinear bio-systems, suspected of containing "hard" nonlinearities.
Evaluation Studies↗
Using EMG to anticipate head motion for virtual-environment applications
In virtual environment (VE) applications, where virtual objects are presented in a see-through head-mounted display, virtual images must be continuously stabilized in space in response to user's head motion. Time delays in head-motion compensation cause virtual objects to "swim" around instead of being stable in space which results in misalignment errors when overlaying virtual and real objects. Visual update delays are a critical technical obstacle for implementing head-mounted displays in applications such as battlefield simulation/training, telerobotics, and telemedicine. Head motion is currently measurable by a head-mounted 6-degrees-of-freedom inertial measurement unit. However, even given this information, overall VE-system latencies cannot be reduced under about 25 ms. We present a novel approach to eliminating latencies, which is premised on the fact that myoelectric signals from a muscle precede its exertion of force, thereby limb or head acceleration. We thus suggest utilizing neck-muscles' myoelectric signals to anticipate head motion. We trained a neural network to map such signals onto equivalent time-advanced inertial outputs. The resulting network can achieve time advances of up to 70 ms.
Clinical Trial↗
Spatial orientation of optokinetic nystagmus and ocular pursuit during orbital space flight
On Earth, eye velocity of horizontal optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) orients to gravito-inertial acceleration (GIA), the sum of linear accelerations acting on the head and body. We determined whether adaptation to micro-gravity altered this orientation and whether ocular pursuit exhibited similar properties. Eye movements of four astronauts were recorded with three-dimensional video-oculography. Optokinetic stimuli were stripes moving horizontally, vertically, and obliquely at 30 degrees/s. Ocular pursuit was produced by a spot moving horizontally or vertically at 20 degrees/s. Subjects were either stationary or were centrifuged during OKN with 1 or 0.5 g of interaural or dorsoventral centripetal linear acceleration. Average eye position during OKN (the beating field) moved into the quick-phase direction by 10 degrees during lateral and upward field movement in all conditions. The beating field did not shift up during downward OKN on Earth, but there was a strong upward movement of the beating field (9 degrees) during downward OKN in the absence of gravity; this likely represents an adaptation to the lack of a vertical 1-g bias in-flight. The horizontal OKN velocity axis tilted 9 degrees in the roll plane toward the GIA during interaural centrifugation, both on Earth and in space. During oblique OKN, the velocity vector tilted towards the GIA in the roll plane when there was a disparity between the direction of stripe motion and the GIA, but not when the two were aligned. In contrast, dorsoventral acceleration tilted the horizontal OKN velocity vector 6 degrees in pitch away from the GIA. Roll tilts of the horizontal OKN velocity vector toward the GIA during interaural centrifugation are consistent with the orientation properties of velocity storage, but pitch tilts away from the GIA when centrifuged while supine are not. We speculate that visual suppression during OKN may have caused the velocity vector to tilt away from the GIA during dorsoventral centrifugation. Vertical OKN and ocular pursuit did not exhibit orientation toward the GIA in any condition. Static full-body roll tilts and centrifugation generating an equivalent interaural acceleration produced the same tilts in the horizontal OKN velocity before and after flight. Thus, the magnitude of tilt in OKN velocity was dependent on the magnitude of interaural linear acceleration, rather than the tilt of the GIA with regard to the head. These results favor a 'filter' model of spatial orientation in which orienting eye movements are proportional to the magnitude of low frequency interaural linear acceleration, rather than models that postulate an internal representation of gravity as the basis for spatial orientation.
Flight Experiment↗
Mice Exposed to Combined Chronic Low-Dose Irradiation and Modeled Microgravity Develop Long-Term Neurological Sequelae
Spaceflight poses many challenges for humans. Ground-based analogs typically focus on single parameters of spaceflight and their associated acute effects. This study assesses the long-term transcriptional effects following single and combination spaceflight analog conditions using the mouse model, simulated microgravity via hindlimb unloading (HLU) and/or low-dose irradiation (LDR) for 21-days, followed by 4 months of readaptation. Changes in gene expression and epigenetic modifications in whole brain samples during readaptation were analyzed by DESeq2 and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS). The results showed minimal gene expression alterations at 4-months within single treatment conditions of HLU and LDR. Following combined HLU+LDR, gene ontology and methylation analyses showed multiple altered pathways involved in neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, regulation of neuropeptides and cellular signaling. In brief, neurological readaptation following combined chronic LDR and HLU is a dynamic process that impacts brain structure and function and may lead to late onset neurological sequelae
Overbey, Eliah G.↗
Mice Exposed to Combined Chronic Low-Dose Irradiation and Modeled Microgravity Develop Long-Term Neurological Sequelae
A combination of spaceflight-relevant factors (fluid-shift and radiation) created a different gene expression profile than either factor individually. Some gene pathways including reduced transcriptional machinery, increased neurogenesis and neuropeptide production, and dysregulated cell structure and cell signaling. Gene expression differences can persist for at least 4 months after a 21- day exposure to a combination of fluid-shift and radiation in the brain tissue of mice. Brain-related transcriptional changes are dynamic during readaptation phase from exposure to spaceflight-like conditions, which may lead to long-term neurological consequences.
Overbey, Eliah G.↗
Inverse Modelling to Obtain Head Movement Controller Signal
Experimentally obtained dynamics of time-optimal, horizontal head rotations have previously been simulated by a sixth order, nonlinear model driven by rectangular control signals. Electromyography (EMG) recordings have spects which differ in detail from the theoretical rectangular pulsed control signal. Control signals for time-optimal as well as sub-optimal horizontal head rotations were obtained by means of an inverse modelling procedures. With experimentally measured dynamical data serving as the input, this procedure inverts the model to produce the neurological control signals driving muscles and plant. The relationships between these controller signals, and EMG records should contribute to the understanding of the neurological control of movements.
Kim, W. S.↗
New Developments in NASA's Rodent Research Hardware for Conducting Long Duration Biomedical and Basic Research in Space
Animal models, particularly rodents, are the foundation of pre-clinical research to understand human diseases and evaluate new therapeutics, and play a key role in advancing biomedical discoveries both on Earth and in space. The National Research Councils Decadal survey emphasized the importance of expanding NASA's life sciences research to perform long duration, rodent experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) to study effects of the space environment on the musculoskeletal and neurological systems of mice as model organisms of human health and disease, particularly in areas of muscle atrophy, bone loss, and fracture healing. To accomplish this objective, flight hardware, operations, and science capabilities were developed at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) to enhance science return for both commercial (CASIS) and government-sponsored rodent research. The Rodent Research Project at NASA ARC has pioneered a new research capability on the International Space Station and has progressed toward translating research to the ISS utilizing commercial rockets, collaborating with academia and science industry, while training crewmembers to assist in performing research on orbit. The Rodent Research Habitat provides a living environment for animals on ISS according to standard animal welfare requirements, and daily health checks can be performed using the habitats camera system. Results from these studies contribute to the science community via both the primary investigation and banked samples that are shared in publicly available data repository such as GeneLab. Following each flight, through the Biospecimen Sharing Program (BSP), numerous tissues and thousands of samples will be harvested, and distributed from the Space Life and Physical Sciences (SLPS) to Principal Investigators (PIs) through the Ames Life Science Data Archive (ALSDA). Every completed mission sets a foundation to build and design greater complexity into future research and answer questions about common human diseases. Together, the hardware improvements (enrichment, telemetry sensors, cameras), new capabilities (live animal return), and experience that the Rodent Research team has gained working with principal investigator teams and ISS crew to conduct complex experiments on orbit are expanding capabilities for long duration rodent research on the ISS to achieve both basic science and biomedical research objectives.
Shirazi, Yasaman↗
Functional structure and dynamics of the human nervous system
The status of an effort to define the directions needed to take in extending pilot models is reported. These models are needed to perform closed-loop (man-in-the-loop) feedback flight control system designs and to develop cockpit display requirements. The approach taken is to develop a hypothetical working model of the human nervous system by reviewing the current literature in neurology and psychology and to develop a computer model of this hypothetical working model.
Lawrence, J. A.↗
Spontaneous assembly of a self-complementary oligopeptide to form a stable macroscopic membrane
A 16-residue peptide [(Ala-Glu-Ala-Glu-Ala-Lys-Ala-Lys)2] has a characteristic beta-sheet circular dichroism spectrum in water. Upon the addition of salt, the peptide spontaneously assembles to form a macroscopic membrane. The membrane does not dissolve in heat or in acidic or alkaline solutions, nor does it dissolve upon addition of guanidine hydrochloride, SDS/urea, or a variety of proteolytic enzymes. Scanning EM reveals a network of interwoven filaments approximately 10-20 nm in diameter. An important component of the stability is probably due to formation of complementary ionic bonds between glutamic and lysine side chains. This phenomenon may be a model for studying the insoluble peptides found in certain neurological disorders. It may also have implications for biomaterials and origin-of-life research.
Non-NASA Center↗