Readings

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 Buy at Amazon 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

Buy at Amazon 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

Buy at Amazon 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

Buy at MIT Press Buy at Amazon Taube, J. S. "Head Direction Cell Activity: Landmark Control and Responses in Three Dimensions." Chapter 3 in Head Direction Cells and the Neural Mechanisms of Spatial Orientation. Edited by S. I. Wiener and J. S. Taube. MIT Press, 2005, pp. 45–67. ISBN: 9780262232418.

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.