Symmetries of the Central Vestibular System: Forming Movements for Gravity and a Three-Dimensional World

Authors

Gin McCollum, Portland State UniversityFollow
Douglas Hanes

Published In

Symmetry

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2010

Subjects

Vestibular apparatus, Symmetry groups, Modality (Logic), Causation, Sensorimotor integration

Abstract

Intrinsic dynamics of the central vestibular system (CVS) appear to be at least partly determined by the symmetries of its connections. The CVS contributes to whole-body functions such as upright balance and maintenance of gaze direction. These functions coordinate disparate senses (visual, inertial, somatosensory, auditory) and body movements (leg, trunk, head/neck, eye). They are also unified by geometric conditions. Symmetry groups have been found to structure experimentally-recorded pathways of the central vestibular system. When related to geometric conditions in three-dimensional physical space, these symmetry groups make sense as a logical foundation for sensorimotor coordination.

Description

Originally appeared in Symmetry, vol. 2 (2010), pages 1544-1558. Published by MDPI.

May be accessed at https://doi.org/10.3390/sym2031544

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 3.0).

DOI

10.3390/sym2031544

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/25854

Citation Details

McCollum, Gin and Hanes, Douglas, "Symmetries of the Central Vestibular System: Forming Movements for Gravity and a Three-Dimensional World" (2010). Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations. 188.
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/25854