Both are fundamental tasks of the nervous system, and both depend upon multiple sensory inputs that are integrated to control a complex set of spatial behaviors, including such simple ones as walking. One sensory system, the vestibular system, evolved exclusively to control oculomotor and postural reflexes, as well as perceptions dedicated to spatial orientation and navigation. Each of these tasks is essential for maintaining a stable retinal image during natural behavior. Another important aspect is how plastic neural mechanisms are utilized to register errors and in turn adaptively adjust performance in order to maintain proper spatial calibration across modalities.
Current interests center on several intriguing problems.
It is the VOR that allows visual clarity during such engaging activities as sports. An intriguing complication entails a limitation in the physics of linear force detection. We are characterizing the compromised but fascinating solutions that have evolved to deal with this sensory ambiguity. Finally, we are now studying how visual and auditory depictions of spatial location and motion are plastically manipulated by experience in order to maintain co-calibration with each other and with vestibular influences. An applied concern is the deterioration of spatial orientation, localization, and adaptive plasticity with natural aging.