Changing Vertical Self-motion Perception
Condition: Vestibular Function Tests
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The objective of this study is to explore the "vertical self-motion perception" on in healthy
      young individuals using an elevator as accelerator. Secondary aim is to explore the effects
      of repeated vertical acceleration on vertical vestibular sensibility.
    

Detailed description: 
      The detection of displacement is important information to maintaining balance, postural
      control, and gait during daily living activities. This detection of displacement or
      self-motion perception is accomplished by the human vestibular system, particularly the
      otolith organs, the sacculus and utriculus. Both primarily respond to whole-body acceleration
      or tilt in gravity. The saccule and utricle detect linear motion as well as the static
      orientation of the head relative to gravity, which is itself a linear acceleration. The
      saccule is more sensitive to vertical acceleration (sensing elevator acceleration) and the
      utricle is more sensitive to horizontal acceleration (sensing a car accelerate). The signals
      from the vestibular system are transmitted o the central nervous system for further
      processing.

      Testing the otolith function is difficult since it always a combination of the tested
      inertial acceleration (t) and gravity (g). Therefore the Vector of acceleration is skew. An
      isolated vertical direction testing of the saccule is to our knowledge not done. Testing the
      function of the saccule in an elevator would eliminate the any horizontal accelerations other
      than gravity. Using the decelerations phase of an elevator ride during both up and down ride
      could give important inside of the self-motion perception (sensation of acceleration of a
      subject). The reaction force F which accts on the otolith would be maximal when the elevator
      ride downwards would stop. The force acting on the otolith when the elevator got upwards is
      breaking is smaller than g.

      A better understanding the adaption of the self-motion perception could be beneficial for
      patients with hypersensitive vestibular functioning, e.g. patients with vestibular migraine.
      We hypothesized that (a) healthy subjects change the self-motion perception after
      hyper-stimulation with repeated vertical acceleration.

      The objective of this study is to explore the "vertical self-motion perception" on in healthy
      young individuals using an elevator as accelerator. Secondary aim is to explore the effects
      of repeated vertical acceleration on vertical vestibular sensibility.
    

Intervention name(s): Trampoline
Intervention type(s): Diagnostic Test
Intervention description(s): During trampoline training that participants undergo constant change of vestibular stimulation. This triggers deep proprioception as well as other sensory inputs. This trigger might affect strength, body stability, muscle coordinative responses, joint movement amplitudes and spatial integration
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Diagnostic
Keywords: Sacculus