Minor L B
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21203-6402, USA.
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1998 Mar;118(3 Pt 2):S5-15. doi: 10.1016/S0194-59989870002-6.
Physiological mechanisms underlying vestibular function have important implications for our ability to understand, predict, and modify balance processes during and after spaceflight. The microgravity environment of space provides many unique opportunities for studying the effects of changes in gravitoinertial force on structure and function of the vestibular system. Investigations of basic vestibular physiology and of changes in reflexes occurring as a consequence of exposure to microgravity have important implications for diagnosis and treatment of vestibular disorders in human beings. This report reviews physiological principles underlying control of vestibular processes on earth and in space. Information is presented from a functional perspective with emphasis on signals arising from labyrinthine receptors. Changes induced by microgravity in linear acceleration detected by the vestibulo-ocular reflexes. Alterations of the functional requirements for postural control in space are described. Areas of direct correlation between studies of vestibular reflexes in microgravity and vestibular disorders in human beings are discussed.
前庭功能的生理机制对于我们理解、预测和改变太空飞行期间及之后的平衡过程的能力具有重要意义。太空的微重力环境为研究重力惯性力变化对前庭系统结构和功能的影响提供了许多独特的机会。对基本前庭生理学以及因暴露于微重力而发生的反射变化的研究，对人类前庭疾病的诊断和治疗具有重要意义。本报告回顾了地球上和太空中前庭过程控制的生理原理。从功能角度呈现信息，重点关注来自迷路感受器的信号。微重力引起的前庭眼反射检测到的线性加速度变化。描述了太空中姿势控制功能要求的改变。讨论了微重力下前庭反射研究与人类前庭疾病之间的直接关联领域。
