Nystagmic Coriolis Reaction In The Cat J. Preliminary Report

Abstract

A series of cats with normal ears and with unilateral labyrinthectomy were exposed to Coriolis acceleration by simultaneous rotations of constant angular velocity about a vertical and horizontal axis. In both sets of animals, the results were in agreement with predictions formulated by the labyrinthine kinematics of Coriolis acceleration. The recordings showed that in both horizontal and vertical leads two reversals in the direction of nystagmus occurred for each oscillation of the Coriolis acceleration. The infra-red films demonstrated that the direction of nystagmus changed orderly for each oscillation of Coriolis acceleration. A phase difference between this oscillation and reversals of nystagmus was found. The phase difference was shifted as a function of angular velocity about the horizontal axis.