The relational between spatial/motion perception and traits of visual vertigo

Powell, Georgie; Rushton, Simon K; Derry-Sumner, Hannah; Rajenderkumar, D; Clark, Kait; Bratton, Luke; Sumner, Petroc

Abstract

Visually-induced vertigo (‘visual vertigo’) is a condition where certain visual environments trigger dizziness and nausea. It is often attributed to dysfunction in visual-vestibular interaction, but the exact cause is unknown. We were interested in any linkage between visual vertigo and motion and spatial processing. In an initial study, we measured traits of visual vertigo and performance on a battery of visual tasks in a healthy population (n = 37). The battery included measures of motion perception and the area over which information is integrated (motion coherence; flanker; surround suppression), and the impact of task-irrelevant motion (visual search). It also included contrast sensitivity, orientation and shape judgements as indexes of general visual ability. We found that individuals with more visual vertigo traits showed stronger spatial suppression and had lower contrast sensitivity thresholds. No other tasks correlated with vertigo traits. Reliability checks (two sessions, two weeks apart) showed good reliability for some tasks (spatial suppression, orientation/shape judgements) but average to poor for others (motion coherence, flanker, visual search), which could have affected our ability to find a relationship with vertigo traits. Future work will test whether patients with a diagnosis of visual vertigo also show differences in these tasks.

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Conference Name: European Conference on Visual Perception
• Start Date: Sep 1, 2016
• End Date: Sep 1, 2016
• Acceptance Date: Jun 1, 2016
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2016
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/905246
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1177/0301006616671273
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : European Conference on Visual Perception