Angular displacement perception modulated by force background

Abstract

We had recumbent subjects (n = 7) indicate the amplitude of imposed, passive yaw-axis body rotations in the 0, 1, and 1.8 g background force levels generated during parabolic flight maneuvers. The blindfolded subject, restrained in a cradle, aligned a gravity-neutral pointer with the subjective vertical while in an initial position and then tried to keep it aligned with the same external direction during a body rotation, lasting less than 1.5 s about the z-axis 30 degrees, 60 degrees, or 120 degrees in amplitude. All the rotations were above semicircular threshold levels for eliciting perception of angular displacement under terrestrial test conditions. In 1 and 1.8 g test conditions, subjects were able to indicate both the subjective vertical and the amplitude of the body rotation reasonably accurately. By contrast in 0 g, when indicating the subjective vertical, they aligned the pointer with the body midline and kept it nearly aligned with their midline during the subsequent body tilts. They also reported feeling supine throughout the 0 g test periods. The attenuation of apparent self-displacement in 0 g is discussed in terms of (1) a possible failure of integration of semicircular canal velocity signals, (2) a contribution of somatosensory pressure and contact cues, and (3) gravicentric versus body-centric reference frames. The significance of the findings for predicting and preventing motion sickness and disorientation in orbital space flight and in rotating artificial gravity environments is discussed.