Effects of Restrained Cervical Mobility on Voluntary Eye Movements and Postural Control

Abstract

The effects of restrained cervical mobility on pursuit eye movements (PEMs), voluntary sac-cades and postural control, as measured by posturography, were studied in 11 healthy subjects whose cervical spine movement had been restrained for 5 days by means of a rigid neck-collar. at day 5 mean peak velocity of voluntary saccades at amplitudes of 40° and 60° was significantly reduced, as was mean peak gain of PEMs at a stimulus velocity of 50°; the variance of body position in vibration-induced body sway was significantly increased, but there was no difference in variance of galvanically-induced body sway or in velocity of vibration-induced body sway. the results suggest that restriction of cervical movements per se affects voluntary eye movements, a conclusion also consistent with findings in patients with tension headache. Restriction of cervical movement only marginally affects postural control.

Key Words:

• saccades
• pursuit
• posture
• neck
• human