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At least 127 records · Page 7

A heuristic mathematical model for the dynamics of sensory conflict and motion sickness

The etiology of motion sickness is explained in terms of a qualitatively formulated sensory conflict hypothesis. By consideration of the information processing task faced by the central nervous system in estimating body spatial orientation and in controlling active body movement using an internal model referenced control strategy, a mathematical model for sensory conflict generation is developed. The model postulates a major dynamic functional role for sensory conflict signals in movement control, as well as in sensory-motor adaptation. It accounts for the role of active movement in creating motion sickness symptoms in some experimental circumstances, and in alleviating them in others. The relationship between motion sickness produced by sensory rearrangement and that resulting from external motion disturbances is explicitly defined. A nonlinear conflict averaging model is proposed which describes dynamic aspects of experimentally observed subjective discomfort sensation, and suggests resulting behaviors.

Oman, C. M.↗

A heuristic mathematical model for the dynamics of sensory conflict and motion sickness

The etiology of motion sickness is now usually explained in terms of a qualitatively formulated sensory conflict hypothesis. By consideration of the information processing task faced by the central nervous system in estimating body spatial orientation and in controlling active body movement using an internal model referenced control strategy, a mathematical model for sensory conflict generation is developed. The model postulates a major dynamic functional role for sensory conflict signals in movement control, as well as in sensory motor adaptation. It accounts for the role of active movement in creating motion sickness symptoms in some experimental circumstances, and in alleviating them in others. The relationship between motion sickness produced by sensory rearrangement and that resulting from external motion disturbances is explicitly defined. A nonlinear conflict averaging model describes dynamic aspects of experimentally observed subjective discomfort sensation, and suggests resulting behavior.

Oman, C. M.↗

Space motion sickness and vestibular experiments in Spacelab

Approximately 43 percent of Apollo, Skylab, Soyuz/Salyut and Shuttle crewmen have experienced symptoms resembling motion sickness during their first several days in space. This paper reviews the space sickness problem in both an operational and physiological context, and describes experiments planned by a team of vestibular researchers from the USA and Canada to study space sickness and associated sensory-motor adaptation to weightlessness during Spacelab missions 1 and 4, and the German Spacelab mission D-1.

Oman, C. M.↗

Etiological factors in space motion sickness

The human susceptibility to motion sickness during exposure to sudden-stop stimulation as a function of gravitoinertial force level is studied. It is determined that susceptibility is greatly enhanced, both with eyes-closed and eyes-open, for zero-g and 2-g conditions in parabolic flight compared with 1-g test conditions. It is argued that this change in susceptibility is related to alterations in vestibulo-occular function which result from variations in gravitoinertial force level, the altered patterns of otolithic activity resulting during variations in gravitoinertial force level, and the altered canal-otolith response synergies that result during exposure to gravitoinertial force levels greater or less than terrestrial levels. These factors are found to be related to the etiology of space motion sickness and to the alterations in performance and vestibular function that are experienced by astronauts during reentry. An explanation is presented for the decrease in susceptibility to motion sickness exhibited by the Skylab astronauts inflight and for some period postflight during exposure to cross-coupled angular accelerations.

Lackner, J. R.↗

Neural mechanisms of motion sickness

The possibility that there might be a neuro-homoral cerebrospinal fluid link in motion sickness was directly tested by blocking the flow of CSF from the third into the fourth ventricle in cats. Evidence obtained thus far is consistent with the hypothesis. Cats with demonstrably sound plugs did not vomit in response to an accelerative motion sickness stimulus, whereas cats with imperfect 'leaky' plugs vomited with little or no delay in latency. Althoough there are several putative candidates, the identification of a humoral motion sickness substance is a matter of conjecture.

Crampton, G. H.↗

Susceptibility of cat and squirrel monkey to motion sickness induced by visual stimulation: Correlation with susceptibility to vestibular stimulation

Experiments in which the susceptibility of both cats and squirrel monkeys to motion sickness induced by visual stimulation are documented. In addition, it is shown that in both species those individual subjects most highly susceptible to sickness induced by passive motion are also those most likely to become motion sick from visual (optokinetic) stimulation alone.

Daunton, N. G.↗

Efficacy of phosphatidylcholine in the modulation of motion sickness susceptibility

This study evaluated the efficacy of pharmacological doses of phosphatidylcholine (lecithin) in the modulation of motion sickness induced by exposure to coriolis stimulation in a rotating chair. Subjects received daily dietary supplements of 25 grams of lecithin (90 percent phosphatidylcholine) and were tested for their susceptibility to motion sickness after 4 h, 2 d, and 21 d. A small but statistically significant increase in susceptibility (+15 percent) was noted 4 h after supplemental phosphatidylcholine, with four of nine subjects demonstrating a marked increase in susceptibility. This finding was attributed to choline's stimulatory action on cholinergic systems, an action which opposes that of the classical antimotion sickness drug scopolamine. Chronic lecithin loading revealed a trend towards reduced susceptibility, possibly indicating the occurrence of adaptive mechanisms such as receptor down-regulation. Withdrawal from lecithin loading, perhaps coupled with anticholinergic treatment, might prove to be a potent prophylactic regimen and ought to be tested.

Kohl, R. L.↗

A stimulator for laboratory studies of motion sickness in cats

A motion sickness device is described which produces motion sickness in about 40 percent of an unselected population of unrestrained female cats during a 30-min exposure at 0.28 Hz. The apparatus provides a gentle wave stimulus, similar to that provided by an amusement park Ferris Wheel. Two cats may be tested at the same time. This device is useful for studies of putative antimotion sickness drugs or the biochemical basis of the emetic response to motion.

Crampton, G. H.↗

Arousal and stability - The effects of five new sympathomimetic drugs suggest a new principle for the prevention of space motion sickness

Sympathomimetic agents are frequent components in antimotion-sickness drug combinations because of their usefulness in counteracting the sedation caused by stressful motion or resulting from the administration of other antimotion-sickness drugs. The noradrenergic neurochemistry of the brain's arousal-attentional systems prompted us to evaluate the efficacy of five new sympathomimetic drugs and to further define the role of arousal in susceptibility to motion. Subjects were orally administered methamphetamine (20 mg), phenmetrazine (25 mg), phentermine (37.5 mg), methylphenidate (20 mg), or pemoline (75 mg) 2 h prior to taking a Staircase Profile Test. All of the drugs increased resistance to stressful coriolis stimulation by 80-120 percent. Methylphenidate and pemoline showed fewer side effects. These findings, interpreted in conjunction with the documented inefficacy of most anticholinergic and antihistaminergic drugs tested to date, suggest that sympathomimetic drugs or a generalized state of arosusal can inhibit the development of motion sickness.

Kohl, R. L.↗

The effective intensity of Coriolis, cross-coupling stimulation is gravitoinertial force dependent - Implications for space motion sickness

The effect of gravity on the severity of the Coriolis-induced motion sickness was investigated in ten individuals subjected to high and low G-force phases of parabolic flight maneuvers using constant level Coriolis, cross-coupled angular acceleration stimulation. Using seven levels of severity in the diagnosis of motion sickness, it was found that the subjects were less susceptible at 0 G than at +2 Gz, and that the perceived intensity and provocativeness of Coriolis stimulation decreased in 0 G and increased in +2 Gz relative to the +1 Gz baseline values. The changes in the apparent intensity of Coriolis stimulation occur virtually immediately when the background gravitatioinertial force level is varied. These findings explain why the Skylab astronauts were refractory to motion sickness during Coriolis stimulation in-flight.

Lackner, J. R.↗

Role of orientation reference selection in motion sickness

The objectives of this proposal were developed to further explore and quantify the orientation reference selection abilities of subjects and the relation, if any, between motion sickness and orientation reference selection. The overall objectives of this proposal are to determine (1) if motion sickness susceptibility is related to sensory orientation reference selection abilities of subjects, (2) if abnormal vertical canal-otolith function is the source of these abnormal posture control strategies and if it can be quantified by vestibular and oculomotor reflex measurements, and (3) if quantifiable measures of perception of vestibular and visual motion cues can be related to motion sickness susceptibility and to orientation reference selection ability demonstrated by tests which systematically control the sensory imformation available for orientation.

Peterka, Robert J.↗

M.I.T./Canadian vestibular experiments on the Spacelab-1 mission. IV - Space motion sickness: Symptoms, stimuli, and predictability

Three cases of motion sickness that occurred on Spacelab-1 are described. The relation between head movements and symptom intensity is examined. The effects of visual, tactile, and proprioceptive orientation cues on motion sickness are studied. The effectiveness of the drugs used is evaluated and it is observed that the drugs reduce the frequency of vomiting and overall discomfort. Preflight and postflight motion sickness susceptibility data are presented.

Oman, C. M.↗

General autonomic components of motion sickness

This report refers to a body of investigations directed toward the examination of autonomic nervous system responses to motion sickness. Heart rate, respiration rate, finger pulse volume, and basal skin resistance were measured on 127 men and women before, during, and after exposure to a nauseogenic rotating chair test. Significant changes in all autonomic responses were observed across the tests (p less than .05). Significant differences in autonomic responses among groups divided according to motion sickness susceptibility were also observed (p less than .05). Results suggest that the examination of autonomic responses as an objective indicator of motion sickness malaise is warranted and may contribute to the overall understanding of the syndrome.

Cowings, Patricia S.↗

Role of otolith endorgans in the genesis of vestibular-visual conflict sickness (pitch) in the squirrel monkey (First report)

The effects of ablation of the macula utriculi and macula sacculi on vestibular-visual conflict emesis in squirrel monkeys are investigated. An optokinetic drum and a turntable were used for the direction conflict experiment. A significant difference between the preoperative condition and postunilateral and postbilateral utriculo-sacculectomy conditions is observed. It is detected that after unilateral sacculectomy the conflict sickness decreases and no emesis occurs; however, 4.5 months after sacculectomy, the animals regain their conflict sickness. The data reveal that macular afferents are important in the genesis of sensory conflict emesis and two submodalities may be needed to cause conflict sickness onset.

Igarashi, Makoto↗

Role of orientation reference selection in motion sickness

Previous experiments with moving platform posturography have shown that different people have varying abilities to resolve conflicts among vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive sensory signals used to control upright posture. In particular, there is one class of subjects with a vestibular disorder known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) who often are particularly sensitive to inaccurate visual information. That is, they will use visual sensory information for the control of their posture even when that visual information is inaccurate and is in conflict with accurate proprioceptive and vestibular sensory signals. BPPV has been associated with disorders of both posterior semicircular canal function and possibly otolith function. The present proposal hopes to take advantage of the similarities between the space motion sickness problem and the sensory orientation reference selection problems associated with the BPPV syndrome. These similarities include both etiology related to abnormal vertical canal-otolith function, and motion sickness initiating events provoked by pitch and roll head movements. The objectives of this proposal are to explore and quantify the orientation reference selection abilities of subjects and the relation of this selection to motion sickness in humans.

Peterka, Robert J.↗

Pharmacological and neurophysiological aspects of space/motion sickness

A motorized motion testing device modeled after a Ferris wheel was constructed to perform motion sickness tests on cats. Details of the testing are presented, and some of the topics covered include the following: xylazine-induced emesis; analysis of the constituents of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during motion sickness; evaluation of serotonin-1A (5-HT sub 1A) agonists; other 5HT receptors; antimuscarinic mechanisms; and antihistaminergic mechanisms. The ability of the following drugs to reduce motion sickness in the cats was examined: amphetamines, adenosinergic drugs, opioid antagonists, peptides, cannabinoids, cognitive enhancers (nootropics), dextromethorphan/sigma ligands, scopolamine, and diphenhydramine.

Lucot, James B.↗

Illusory self motion and simulator sickness

Presented here is a discussion of simulator sickness (with applications to motion sickness and space sickness) based on the notion of senses as perceptual systems, and the sensory conflict theory. Most forms of the sensory conflict theory unnecessarily propose the existence of a neural store. The neural store is thought to consist of a record of previous perceptual experiences against which currently experienced patterns of stimulation are compared. The authors seek to establish that in its most parsimonious form the sensory conflict theory does not require a construct such as the neural store. In its simpler form, the sensory conflict theory complements and extends Gibson's view of the senses as perceptual systems.

Hettinger, Lawrence J.↗

Comparison of treatment strategies for space motion sickness

Treatment strategies for space motion sickness were compared using the results of postflight oral debriefings. Standardized questionnaires were administered to all crewmembers immediately following Space Shuttle flights by NASA flight surgeons. Cases of space motion sickness were graded as mild, moderate, or severe based on published criteria, and medication effectiveness was judged based on subjective reports of symptom relief. Since October 1989, medication effectiveness is reported inflight through private medical conferences with the crew. A symptom matrix was analyzed for nineteen crewmembers treated with an oral combination of scopolomine and dextroamphetamine (scopdex) and fifteen crewmembers treated with promethazine delivered by intramuscular or suppository routes. Scopdex has been given preflight as prophylaxis for space motion sickness but analysis showed delayed symptom presentation in nine crewmembers or failed to prevent symptoms in seven.

Davis, J. R.↗