Effect of alertness on the vestibulo-ocular reflex and on the slow rise in optokinetic nystagmus in rabbits.

The effect of alertness on the time constant of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and the time constant of the slow rise of the optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) was studied in nine pigmented rabbits. When the rabbits were alerted by vibration, the time constant of the VOR was prolonged, and that of the slow rise in OKN was shortened, whereas the gain of VOR and OKN remained largely unaffected. These findings agree with the suggestion that the state of alertness affects the vestibular system by way of the so-called velocity storage mechanism.