Authors: Jean Laurens Dora E Angelaki
Publish Date: 2011/02/04
Volume: 210, Issue: 3-4, Pages: 407-422
Abstract
Research in the vestibular field has revealed the existence of a central process called ‘velocity storage’ that is activated by both visual and vestibular rotation cues and is modified by gravity but whose functional relevance during natural motion has often been questioned In this review we explore spatial orientation in the context of a Bayesian model of vestibular information processing In this framework deficiencies/ambiguities in the peripheral vestibular sensors are compensated for by central processing to more accurately estimate rotation velocity orientation relative to gravity and inertial motion First an inverse model of semicircular canal dynamics is used to reconstruct rotation velocity by integrating canal signals over time However its lowfrequency bandwidth is limited to avoid accumulation of noise in the integrator A second internal model uses this reconstructed rotation velocity to compute an internal estimate of tilt and inertial acceleration The bandwidth of this second internal model is also restricted at low frequencies to avoid noise accumulation and drift of the tilt/translation estimator over time As a result lowfrequency translation can be erroneously misinterpreted as tilt The time constants of these two integrators internal models can be conceptualized as two Bayesian priors of zero rotation velocity and zero linear acceleration respectively The model replicates empirical observations like ‘velocity storage’ and ‘frequency segregation’ and explains spatial orientation eg ‘somatogravic’ illusions Importantly the functional significance of this network including velocity storage is found during shortlasting natural head movements rather than at low frequencies with which it has been traditionally studied
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