How a Subclinical Unilateral Vestibular Signal Improves Binocular Vision

The present study aimed to determine if an infra-liminal asymmetric vestibular signal could account for some of the visual complaints commonly encountered in chronic vestibular patients. We used infra-liminal galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) to investigate its potential effects on visuo-oculomo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Frédéric Xavier, Emmanuelle Chouin, Véronique Serin-Brackman, Alexandra Séverac Cauquil
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-09-01
Series:Journal of Clinical Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/18/5847
Description
Summary:The present study aimed to determine if an infra-liminal asymmetric vestibular signal could account for some of the visual complaints commonly encountered in chronic vestibular patients. We used infra-liminal galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) to investigate its potential effects on visuo-oculomotor behavior. A total of 78 healthy volunteers, 34 aged from 20 to 25 years old and 44 aged from 40 to 60 years old, were included in a crossover study to assess the impact of infra-liminal stimulation on convergence, divergence, proximal convergence point, and stereopsis. Under GVS stimulation, a repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant variation in near convergence (<i>p</i> < 0.001), far convergence (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and far divergence (<i>p</i> = 0.052). We also observed an unexpected effect of instantaneous blocking of the retest effect on the far divergence measurement. Further investigations are necessary to establish causal relationships, but GVS could be considered a behavioral modulator in non-pharmacological vestibular therapies.
ISSN:2077-0383