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Abstract
Gentine A, Eichhorn J-L, Kopp C, Conraux C. Modelling the action of caloric stimulation of the vestibule. III. Caloric nystagmus induced by osmotic pressure variation. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 1991; 111: 463-467.
The properties of the membranous wall of the semi-circular canal and of the labyrinthine fluids give as a result the inflating pressure of this inflatable structure. the difference of osmotic pressure between perilymph and endolymph, which is involved in this problem, depends on temperature. Therefore, a caloric stimulation leads to a change in the inflating pressure. a numerical model, similar to the model used to study the effects of relative volume variations, gives a quantitative estimation of the transcupular pressure arising in a horizontal semi-circular canal (i.e. without gravity dependent effects) during a caloric stimulation, according to the inflating pressure change. As a consequence, it appears that rotational and caloric stimulations are not quite similar. the caloric stimulation leads not only to a transcupular pressure difference but also to a change in inflating pressure. As a result of the change in inflating pressure, the stiffness of the cupula varies. This modifies the gain and the dynamics of the vestibulo-ocular reflex, and may explain the asymmetry between hot and cold stimulations.