The effect of the centrifugal force upon the nerve discharge from the horizontal canal.

Abstract

Summary.The effect of the centrifugal force during rotation on the position of the cupula was recorded by needle electrodes in the vestiular nerve.The experiments were performed on decerebrate cats which were rotated with the head removed from the axis of rotation 40 and 10 cm., respectively. The rotational effect on the labyrinth was measured by recording the impulse activity from single cells in the vestibular nerve. When the cat was placed with its head farthest from the axis of rotation, the centrifugal force acted on the cupula which also was acted on indirectly by the flow, due to inertia, of endolymph. Depending on the rotational direction, the centrifugal force and inertia either supplemented or counteracted each other. With the shorter distance between the labyrinth and the axis of rotation (10 cm.), this effect of centrifugal force was of much less significance.The results have been discussed and related to the labyrinthine overstimulations that may occur in modern aviation.This work has been supported by a grant from “ADOLF ROBBERTS fond”.