Tuning and sensitivity of the human vestibular system to low-frequency vibration

Neuroscience Letters
N P ToddJames G Colebatch

Abstract

Mechanoreceptive hair-cells of the vertebrate inner ear have a remarkable sensitivity to displacement, whether excited by sound, whole-body acceleration or substrate-borne vibration. In response to seismic or substrate-borne vibration, thresholds for vestibular afferent fibre activation have been reported in anamniotes (fish and frogs) in the range -120 to -90 dB re 1g. In this article, we demonstrate for the first time that the human vestibular system is also extremely sensitive to low-frequency and infrasound vibrations by making use of a new technique for measuring vestibular activation, via the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). We found a highly tuned response to whole-head vibration in the transmastoid plane with a best frequency of about 100 Hz. At the best frequency we obtained VOR responses at intensities of less than -70 dB re 1g, which was 15 dB lower than the threshold of hearing for bone-conducted sound in humans at this frequency. Given the likely synaptic attenuation of the VOR pathway, human receptor sensitivity is probably an order of magnitude lower, thus approaching the seismic sensitivity of the frog ear. These results extend our knowledge of vibration-sensitivity of vestibular afferents but also are remarkable ...Continue Reading

References

Oct 5, 1989·Nature·A J Hudspeth
Apr 1, 1988·Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology·J Christensen-Dalsgaard, M B Jørgensen
Nov 1, 1984·The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·P M Narins, E R Lewis
Mar 30, 1999·ORL; Journal for Oto-rhino-laryngology and Its Related Specialties·K F Hamann, E M Schuster
Jan 12, 2002·Archives of Otolaryngology--head & Neck Surgery·Mikael KarlbergRoss A Black
Jan 13, 2004·The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·Neil P McAngus ToddJames G Colebatch
Jun 28, 2005·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·S M RosengrenJ G Colebatch
Dec 5, 2006·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Neil P McAngus ToddJames G Colebatch
Jan 11, 1985·Science·E R Lewis, P M Narins

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 1, 2009·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Marcos Gridi-Papp, Peter M Narins
Nov 16, 2012·Otology & Neurotology : Official Publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology·Kristen L JankyJohn P Carey
Jul 9, 2004·The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·Neil P McAngus Todd, Bjorn Merker
Feb 12, 2013·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Bruno H Repp, Yi-Huang Su
Oct 1, 2013·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Magnus Westin, Krister Brantberg
Dec 3, 2013·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Danielle L DennisJames G Colebatch
Jan 1, 2012·ISRN Otolaryngology·Seyede Faranak Emami, Ahmad Daneshi
Oct 22, 2010·European Archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology : Official Journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : Affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery·Anna Eleftheriadou, Eleftherios Koudounarakis
Oct 26, 2013·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Neil Todd
Jul 29, 2015·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Danielle L DennisJames G Colebatch
Apr 18, 2015·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Jennifer C Parker-GeorgeMichael J Griffin
Jun 22, 2010·Hearing Research·Alec N Salt, Timothy E Hullar
Jul 2, 2010·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Po-Hsien SungYi-Ho Young
Feb 26, 2010·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Ian S Curthoys
Mar 6, 2010·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Neil P McAngus Todd
Mar 9, 2010·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·G M Halmagyi, J P Carey
Nov 10, 2009·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·James G Colebatch
Jan 17, 2009·Neuroscience Letters·Neil P M ToddJames G Colebatch
Mar 3, 2015·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Terry D Fife, Deepak Kalra
Oct 15, 2014·IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems·Federico CorradiGiacomo Indiveri
Sep 18, 2015·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience·Neil P M Todd, Christopher S Lee
Sep 1, 2015·Frontiers in Psychology·Neil P M Todd, Christopher S Lee
Dec 11, 2013·Hearing Research·Neil P M ToddJames G Colebatch
Dec 7, 2013·International Journal of Audiology·Aurore C PaillardNeil P M Todd
Jun 10, 2014·Acta Oto-laryngologica·Aline Cabral de OliveiraPedro de Lemos Menezes
Nov 11, 2014·Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology·Aline Cabral de OliveiraLiliane Desgualdo Pereira
Aug 12, 2014·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·B HolmesletK Brantberg
Oct 14, 2014·Journal of the Neurological Sciences·Ivan AdamecMario Habek
Jul 10, 2016·Journal of Vestibular Research : Equilibrium & Orientation·B HolmesletO A Foss
Nov 8, 2014·Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine·Robert J McCunneyMark Blais
Oct 9, 2014·International Journal of Environmental Health Research·Robert V Harrison
Oct 8, 2009·Neuroreport·Yasuhiro ChiharaToshihisa Murofushi
Jul 4, 2009·Journal of Applied Physiology·Sally M RosengrenJames G Colebatch
May 8, 2010·Journal of Applied Physiology·Neil P McAngus ToddJames G Colebatch
Apr 25, 2012·The Journal of Physiology·Konrad P WeberKlara Landau
Oct 10, 2019·Journal of Neurophysiology·James G Colebatch, Sally M Rosengren
Apr 3, 2020·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Jeffrey N ZeylSusana Clusella-Trullas

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology
N P ToddJames G Colebatch
Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology
N P ToddJames G Colebatch
Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology
N P ToddJames G Colebatch
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved