Brain Stem Evoked Responses in Altered G Environments
Abstract
Due to the importance of the vestibular system in both ground-based and space-based motion sickness, a method of measuring its activity in intact humans is desirable. Since the gravitoinertial end-organ receptors of the vestibular and auditory systems are in close proximity and share common peripheral structures, it is hypothesized that changes in the neuroelectrical activity of the otolith pathway affected by gravitoinertial off-loading could possibly influence nerve conduction in the auditory system. This could subsequently be measured by recording changes in the brain stem evoked response (BSER), providing an indirect measure of vestibular activity. BSERs were recorded from ten subjects under the cardinal static environments of +1 and -1 Gx, Gy, and Gz. No changes were found in the vestibular end organs and the auditory system were not found to interact under the conditions of this study. Keywords: Brain stem evoked response; Altered G; Vestibular; Space motion sickness.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA220097
Entities
People
- David A. Ratino
- Glenn F. Wilson
- Loretta L. Floyd
- Louis E. Rodriguez
- Ralph J. Luciani
Organizations
- Armstrong Laboratory