The spiral after effect (SAE) as a measure of motion sickness susceptibility and the effect on the SAE of an antimotion sickness drug and a central nervous system depressant.

Abstract

A study was carried out to determine whether the spiral after effect (SAE) could be considered a reliable measure of motion sickness susceptibility as measured by Reason's motion sickness questionnaire (MSQ). In an initial correlative study it was found that MSQ scores were significantly correlated with neuroticism (N) scores on the Eysenck Personality Inventory. However, the correlation between MSQ and a measure of the SAE duration was not significant. In the subsequent controlled drug study it was shown that both dimenhydrinate, an antinauseant, and temazepam, a minor tranquillizer, decreased the duration of the SAE: although significance was only obtained with the latter drug. The results of both experiments are discussed in terms of Reason's theory of motion sickness and it is suggested, on the basis of Reason's results and those obtained in the present study, that the SAE has both a cortical and a vestibular component in its mechanism of action.