Vestibular Compensation Multisensory Control Of Posture And Neuronal Plasticity

From recent developments in the rapidly growing area of neuroscience it has become increasingly clear that a simplistic description of brain function as a broad collection of simple input-output relations is quite inadequate. Introspection already tells us that our motor behavior is guided by a complex interplay between many inputs from the outside world and from our internal "milieu," internal models of ourselves and the outside world, memory content, directed attention, volition, and so forth. Also, our motor activity normally involves more than a circumscribed group of muscles, even if we intend to move only one effector organ. For example, a reaching movement or a reorientation of a sensory organ almost invariably requires a pattern of preparatory or assisting activities in other parts of the body, like the ones that maintain the body's equilibrium. The present volume is a summary of the papers presented at the symposium "Sensory Interaction in Posture and Movement Control" that was held at Smolenice Castle near Bratislava, Slovakia, as a Satellite Symposium to the ENA Meeting 1994 in Vienna. The focus of this meeting was not only restricted to the "classical" sensory interactions such as between vestibular and visual signals, or between otolith and semicircular canal inputs. Rather, the symposium tried to consider also the interplay between perception and action, between reflexive and volitional motor acts as well as between sensory driven or self-initi ated motor acts and reafferent inputs.

Sensorimotor systems are not rigidly wired predetermined networks but rather highly plastic structures that learn and modify their entire performance in response to changes in external or internal conditions. Lesions or distortions of the system's input, which initially cause a functional disorganization, induce an active reorganization which often leads to a recovery of function. Examples of lesion-induced neural plasticity have been known for some hundred years; however, an awareness of their value as research tools is relatively new. This current interest is a consequence of rapid ly changing ideas concerning the nature of CNS organization. Out of these, concepts are emerging which describe neural nets as modifiable, highly dynamic, self-organizing structures. This trend is clearly reflected in this volume, which contains the proceedings of a symposium held in Bremen in July 1980 as a satellite meeting of the XXVIIIth International Congress of Physiological Sciences. The first part of this conference was devoted to some gen eral aspects of plasticity, discussing the current theories of functional recovery as well as morphological, neurochemical, physiological, molecular, and ontogenetic aspects. The second part dealt with lesion induced plasticity in specific sensorimotor systems of the spinal cord, brain stem, and cerebral cortex.

A variety of syndromes are hidden behind the term vertigo; the interdisciplinary approach here shows how surprisingly easy it is to correctly diagnose and effectively treat them. The book's clinical practicality uncovers the key elements necessary for understanding vertigo: the sensorimotor physiology, careful history-taking, and otoneurological examination. For each syndrome, there is a full description of the clinical features and diagnostic procedure. Numerous tables and thorough cross-referencing guide you to differential diagnosis. Special emphasis is placed on the relationship between the management and the underlying pathological mechanism of the disease.

This monograph has been written for clinicians who are involved in the management of the dizzy patient and for scientists with a particular interest in the multi-sensorimotor mechan isms that subserve spatial orientation, motion perception, and ocular motor and postural con trol. Special emphasis has been put on making the correct diagnosis, and detailed recommendations have been given for specific treatments. The second edition has resulted in an almost completely new book due to the dramatic expansion in the 1990s of our understanding of vestibular function and dis orders. A few rele vant examples include the novel concept of canalolithiasis, as opposed to cupulolithiasis, both of which are established causes of typical posterior and horizontal canal benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo; familial episodic ataxia land II have been identified as inherited chan nelopathies; otolithic syndromes were recognized as a variety separate from semicircular canal syndromes; several new central vestibular syndromes have been described, localized, and attributed to vestibular pathways and centres; a new classification based on the three major planes of action of the vestibulo-ocular reflex is available for central vestibular syn dromes; and the mystery of the location and function of the multisensory vestibular cortex is slowly being unravelled. This book differs from other clinical textbooks in that it is not divided into two parts: anatomy and physiology, on the one hand, and disorders, on the other.

Vertigo, dizziness, and imbalance rank amongst the most common presenting symptoms in neurology, ENT, geriatric medicine, and general practice. These symptoms can originate from many different organs and systems, such as the inner ear, general medical conditions, and neurological and psychological disorders. The Oxford Textbook of Vertigo and Imbalance covers the scientific basis, clinical diagnosis, and treatments for the disorders leading to dizziness and poor balance. Each chapter comprehensively covers the established knowledge of each disorder, as well as introducing the reader to the latest research aspects. Additionally, the specialist authors offer their own clinical opinions based on practice and experience. Didactic tables, figures, and diagrams are used throughout this volume to enhance understanding. The print edition is complemented by an online version, which allows access to the full content of the textbook, contains links from the references to primary research journal articles, allows full text searches, and provides access to figures and tables that can be downloaded to PowerPointRG.