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Spatial Memory Deficits in Patients with Chronic Bilateral Vestibular Failure
Author(s) -
SCHAUTZER FRANZ,
HAMILTON DEREK,
KALLA ROGER,
STRUPP MICHAEL,
BRANDT THOMAS
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1303.029
Subject(s) - vestibular system , spatial memory , neural substrate , neuroscience , hippocampus , somatosensory system , hippocampal formation , audiology , psychology , medicine , cognition , working memory
The role of the vestibular system for navigation and spatial memory has been demonstrated in animals but not in humans. Vestibular signals are necessary for location‐specific “place cell” activity in the hippocampus which provides a putative neural substrate for the spatial representation involved in navigation. To investigate the spatial memory in patients with bilateral vestibular failure due to NF2 with bilateral neurectomy, a virtual variant (on a PC) of the Morris water task adapted to humans was used. Significant spatial learning and memory deficits were shown in 12 patients as compared to 10 healthy controls. These data suggest that functional hippocampal deficits manifest due to a chronic lack of vestibular input in these patients. These deficits can even be demonstrated with the subjects stationary, i.e., without any actual vestibular or somatosensory stimulation.