Otolith Function in Spatial Orientation and Movement

The otolith organs, the saccule and utricle, sense the linear acceleration of gravity, translational movements, and the centripetal acceleration generated during turning. They initiate reflexes that stabilize upright posture and provide critical information about the orientation of the head and body in space. They also have a widespread influence on motor responses and perception of the external world. Powerful otolith-ocular and otolith-collic reflexes are induced if the head is moved at the right frequencies and with the appropriate visual set. Despite this, there is a relative dearth of knowledge about central otolith processing. This volume summarizes knowledge of static and dynamic processing of otolith activity in the labyrinth and provides new information about otolith processing through the vestibular nuclei and vestibulocerebellum. It also addresses how otolith information is processed in the cortex and how it can be used to diagnose and understand vestibular disease. The focus was on new research in this important and emerging area.