Verticality Perception Assessed by the Haptic Vertical

NCT ID: NCT02980432

Last Updated: 2018-07-02

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 19 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2016-10-31
• Study Completion Date: 2018-06-28

Brief Summary

The investigators previously shown that a rotating optokinetic stimulus results in shifts of the subjective visual vertical in healthy human subjects. However, the origin of these shifts is still poorly understood. Both torsional displacement of the eyes and a shift in the internal estimate of direction of gravity have been proposed as potential explanations. Here the investigators use a vision-independent setup to differentiate between these two hypotheses, predicting no impact of a rotating stimulus on the subjective haptic vertical if torsion triggers the shift.

Conditions

Healthy

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

intervention arm

all participants will be assigned to the same arm. Interventions applied include presenting a visual line or a rod with or without a moving (rotating) background while being in different whole-body roll positions. Participants will be asked to adjust the line or the rod along perceived direction of gravity.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

changes in whole-body roll position and visual/haptic stimuli presented

Intervention Type: OTHER

In different whole-body roll positions subjects will be presented a luminous line or a rod in combination with a moving or stationary background. Participants will be asked to align the line or the rod along perceived direction of gravity.

Interventions

changes in whole-body roll position and visual/haptic stimuli presented

In different whole-body roll positions subjects will be presented a luminous line or a rod in combination with a moving or stationary background. Participants will be asked to align the line or the rod along perceived direction of gravity.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• ages 18-65 years
• informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• peripheral-vestibular deficit
• disturbed consciousness
• history of sensory deficits
• visual field deficits
• other neurological or systemic disorder which can cause dementia or cognitive dysfunction
• intake of antidepressants, sedatives, or neuroleptics
• pregnancy, unless excluded by a negative pregnancy test
• known neck pain or status post neck trauma

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Zurich

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

University Hospital Zurich, Dept. of Neurology

Zurich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland

Countries

Switzerland

Other Identifiers

shv_okn_study

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id