The effect of visual field on the mechanism of equilibrium function and sway of the center of gravity

• Published in: Equilibrium Research Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 29 - 35
• Main Authors: Okubo, Jin, Watanabe, Isamu, Kotaka, Shuji, Ogawa, Akira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Society for Equilibrium Research 1979
• ISSN: 0385-5716; 1882-577X
• DOI: 10.3757/jser.38.29

Visual function plays an important role in the mechanisms concerning control of equilibrium function in standing ability and movement of humans. The Romberg test, well known among the tests for detection of abnomalities of equilibrium function in neurological diseses, is the best available when attempting to compare the sway of body with eyes open and closed. The influence of human visual function on the maintenance of equilibrium and the control of body sway was assessed by recording of the body sway when the eyes were closed and open in both bright and dark fields with the subjects in a standing position. Twenty healthy adults with normal visual and equilibrium functions and six patients with jerking type nystagmus were selected and tested while standing at 30° in a fan-shape foot position. The body sways occurring during eyes open and closed in bright field as well as in dark field were recorded using a Gravicorder. It was found that the greatest increase in body sway occurred when the eyes were closed in a bright field in both groups of subjects. This was quite contrary to our expectations as closing the eyes in a dark field should produce the greatest increase of body sway. From this experiment, we conclude that the effect of light on the vision rod plays an important role in maintaining equilibrium and control of the body sway and that the tectobulbar tract is closely associated with the labyrinthine righting reflex.