Interacting Vestibular Stimuli and Nystagmic Habituation

Abstract

Fifteen normal male subjects were repeatedly exposed to interacting angular accelerations (a positive acceleration immediately followed by a negative acceleration of equal intensity and duration). Pre- and post-test trials, consisting of standard single angular accelerations, permitted evaluation of the necessity for habituation of rest intervals between successively presented stimuli. Since significant response decrements were evident in both the post-test responses and responses to the interacting stimuli, it was concluded that nystagmic habituation may occur without nystagmus running to normal completion.