Department of Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland; Sleep-Wake-Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, University Hospital (Inselspital) Bern, Switzerland.
Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany; German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, IFB-LMU, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany.
J Neurosci Methods. 2019 Oct 1;326:108363. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108363. Epub 2019 Jul 25.
The vestibular organs, located in the inner ear, sense linear and rotational acceleration of the head and its position relative to the gravitational field of the earth. These signals are essential for many fundamental skills such as the coordination of eye and head movements in the three-dimensional space or the bipedal locomotion of humans. Furthermore, the vestibular signals have been shown to contribute to higher cognitive functions such as navigation. As the main aim of the vestibular system is the sensation of motion it is a challenging system to be studied in combination with modern imaging methods. Over the last years various different methods were used for stimulating the vestibular system. These methods range from artificial approaches like galvanic or caloric vestibular stimulation to passive full body accelerations using hexapod motion platforms, or rotatory chairs. In the first section of this review we provide an overview over all methods used in vestibular stimulation in combination with imaging methods (fMRI, PET, E/MEG, fNIRS). The advantages and disadvantages of every method are discussed, and we summarize typical settings and parameters used in previous studies. In the second section the role of the four imaging techniques are discussed in the context of vestibular research and their potential strengths and interactions with the presented stimulation methods are outlined.
前庭器官位于内耳，感知头部的线性和旋转加速度及其相对于地球引力场的位置。这些信号对于许多基本技能至关重要，例如在三维空间中协调眼球和头部运动或人类的双足运动。此外，前庭信号已被证明有助于更高的认知功能，如导航。由于前庭系统的主要目的是感知运动，因此将其与现代成像方法结合研究是一个具有挑战性的系统。近年来，已经使用了各种不同的方法来刺激前庭系统。这些方法包括人工方法，如电刺激或冷刺激，以及使用六足运动平台或转椅进行被动全身加速。在这篇综述的第一部分，我们提供了结合成像方法（fMRI、PET、E/MEG、fNIRS）使用的所有前庭刺激方法的概述。讨论了每种方法的优缺点，并总结了以前研究中使用的典型设置和参数。在第二部分，讨论了四种成像技术在前庭研究中的作用，并概述了它们与所提出的刺激方法的潜在优势和相互作用。
