In this study, monkeys will be used to study vestibular control of locomotion. Compensatory and orienting components of the vestibulo-ocular and vestibular-cervical reflexes arising in the otolith organs and semicircular canals that are used to stabilize posture and gaze during natural quadrupedal and bipedal locomotion will be characterized. Based on preliminary data, it is postulated that there is similar vertical translation of the body and head during quadrupedal locomotion in monkeys as during bipedal walking in humans and that these translations activate linear vestibulo-collic and vestibulo-ocular reflexes (IVCR & lVOR) to stabilize head position in pitch with subsequent stabilization of gaze and gait. It is also postulated that rotations of the body and head activate the angular vestibulo-collic and vestibulo-ocular reflexes (aVCR & aVOR) to provide stabilization of gaze for body movements around the yaw axis. Once normal gait is adequately described in this animal model, specific lesions will be made in the peripheral vestibular system and the effects of these lesions on straight and angular locomotion will be characterized. The vestibular lesions include canal plugging, canal-nerve section, unilateral labyrinthectomy and bilateral labyrinthectomy. It is postulated that these lesions will alter vestibular input and cause destabilization of gaze and posture as well as producing deficits in aligning the body to tilts in gravito-inertial acceleration that occur when running in a circular trajectory. Such control has obvious parallels in human locomotion and should provide specific information about the nature of vestibular control of gait and gaze in normal humans and in humans with vestibular lesions. To enable these studies, new technology has been developed that uses a head-fixed coil system to record eye movements in three dimensions in freely moving animals. Combined with precise angular and linear measurements of body, head and limbs in three dimensions, the normal movements of the body, head and eyes can be characterized and it will be possible to determine the effects of lesions of the vestibular apparatus on natural straight and circular locomotion of monkeys running in light and darkness.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY011812-51
Application #
7007227
Study Section
Visual Sciences B Study Section (VISB)
Program Officer
Hunter, Chyren
Project Start
1978-05-01
Project End
2007-12-31
Budget Start
2006-07-01
Budget End
2006-12-31
Support Year
51
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$530,832
Indirect Cost
Name
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Department
Neurology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
078861598
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10029
Yakushin, Sergei B; Dai, Mingjia; Raphan, Theodore et al. (2011) Spatial orientation of the angular vestibulo-ocular reflex (aVOR) after semicircular canal plugging and canal nerve section. Exp Brain Res 210:583-94
Eron, Julia N; Cohen, Bernard; Raphan, Theodore et al. (2009) Adaptation of orientation of central otolith-only neurons. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1164:367-71
Yakushin, Sergei B; Kunin, Mikhail; Ogorodnikov, Dmitri et al. (2009) Effects of the linear vestibulo-ocular reflex on accommodative vergence eye movements. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1164:499-504
Yakushin, Sergei B; Tarasenko, Yelena; Raphan, Theodore et al. (2009) Modification of the cervico-ocular reflex by canal plugging. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1164:60-7
Cohen, Bernard; Xiang, Yongqing; Yakushin, Sergei B et al. (2009) Effect of canal plugging on quadrupedal locomotion in monkey. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1164:89-96
Yakushin, Sergei B; Xiang, Yongqing; Cohen, Bernard et al. (2009) Dependence of the roll angular vestibuloocular reflex (aVOR) on gravity. J Neurophysiol 102:2616-26
Xiang, Yongqing; Yakushin, Sergei B; Kunin, Mikhail et al. (2008) Head stabilization by vestibulocollic reflexes during quadrupedal locomotion in monkey. J Neurophysiol 100:763-80
Eron, Julia N; Cohen, Bernard; Raphan, Theodore et al. (2008) Adaptation of orientation vectors of otolith-related central vestibular neurons to gravity. J Neurophysiol 100:1686-90
Eron, Julia N; Cohen, Bernard; Raphan, Theodore et al. (2008) Differential coding of head rotation by lateral-vertical canal convergent central vestibular neurons. Prog Brain Res 171:313-8
Cohen, Bernard; Dai, Mingjia; Yakushin, Sergei B et al. (2008) Baclofen, motion sickness susceptibility and the neural basis for velocity storage. Prog Brain Res 171:543-53

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