Virtual reality for the measurement of SVV and SVH during static head tilt in healthy adults: a novel vestibular test

Abstract

Background and objective

Few previous studies have used virtual-reality (VR) technology to measure subjective visual vertical (SVV) and subjective visual horizontal (SVH) during static head tilt (0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°). We propose a novel vestibular test for measuring the normal range of SVV and SVH during static head tilt in healthy adults.

Methods

Eighty healthy adults were included in the study. SVV and SVH were calculated in nine head positions.

Results

With head tilt 90° to the right, SVV skewed to the right, and SVH skewed upward. With head tilt 90° to the left, SVV skewed to the left, and SVH skewed downward. SVV was asymmetrical only at a head tilt of 90°. SVV and SVH were similar at all degrees of head tilt, except for 30° to the right, 45° to the left, and 0°.

Conclusions

VR measurements showed that SVV and SVH differed at various degrees of static head tilt. The standardized protocol proposed here may be used to establish a reference range for utricle function when evaluating acute, unilateral vestibular lesions.

Chinese Abstract

背景和目的：很少有研究使用虚拟-现实（VR）技术来测量静态头部倾斜期间（0⁰、30⁰、45⁰、60⁰ 和 90⁰）的主观视觉垂直 （SVV）和主观视觉水平 （SVH）。我们提出了一种新的前庭测试, 用于测量健康成年人的静态头部倾斜期间SVV 和 SVH 的正常范围。

方法：80 名健康成人被纳入研究。计算九种头部位置的 SVV 和 SVH。

结果：头部向右倾斜 90 度, SVV 向右倾斜, SVH 向上倾斜。头部向左倾斜 90度, SVV 向左倾斜, SVH 向下倾斜。 SVV 仅在头部倾斜 90 度时呈不对称。 SVV 和 SVH 在所有头部倾斜度时都相似, 除了向右 30⁰、向左45⁰, 和 0⁰ 时。

结论：VR 测量表明, 在不同程度的静态头部倾斜时, SVV 和 SVH存在差异。此处提出的标准化协议可用于在评估急性单侧前庭病变时, 建立突囊功能的参考范围。

Keywords:

• Subjective visual vertical
• subjective visual horizontal
• head tilt
• utricle
• virtual reality

Author contributions

YZ, QZ and MX contributed to conception and design of the study. YC, FYC and TTX organized the database. YZ, YZZ and ZCC performed the statistical analysis. YC wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors contributed to manuscript revision, read, and approved the submitted version.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statements

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Key R&D Projects in Shaanxi province, China (No. 2018SF-189)