Title: Vestibular Reflexes: Evaluation and Relevance in Microgravity
Authors: Wg Cdr (Dr) Himanshu Swami, Dr Chaithra, Dr Bharath
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v4i8.90
Abstract
Maintaining postural equilibrium, sensing movement, and maintaining an awareness of the relative location of our body parts requires the precise integration of several of the body's sensory and response systems including visual, vestibular, somatosensory (touch, pressure, and stretch receptors in our skin, muscles, and joints), and auditory. Vestibular system plays important part in maintaining balance in microgravity environment. Understanding vestibular system and vestibular reflexes will help in training of space crew, detection of vestibular pathologies and prevention & treatment of space motion sickness. This review covers the vestibular reflex pathways, tests to check integrity of these pathways, effect of microgravity on vestibular system and role of vestibular system in space motion sickness
Key words – vestibular reflexes, space motion sickness.
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