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Absence of short-term vestibular modulation of muscle sympathetic outflow, assessed by brief galvanic vestibular stimulation in awake human subjects

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Abstract

There is evidence in experimental animals for a potent vestibulosympathetic reflex, but its existence in humans is controversial. Static head-down neck flexion and off-vertical axis rotation have been shown to increase muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), but not skin sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA), whereas horizontal linear acceleration decreases MSNA in humans. However, both forms of stimuli also activate other receptors. To examine the effects of a pure vestibular stimulus on MSNA and SSNA, and its potential interaction with the baroreceptors, we used galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) in 12 healthy seated subjects. MSNA was recorded in ten subjects via a percutaneous microelectrode in the peroneal nerve; ECG, blood pressure, respiration, skin blood flow and sweating were also recorded. GVS (2 mA, 1 s pulse) was delivered via surface electrodes over the mastoid processes at unexpected times, triggered from the R-wave with a delay of 0, 200, 400 or 600 ms. In addition to causing robust postural illusions, GVS caused cutaneous vasoconstriction and sweat release in all subjects (due to a short-latency increase in SSNA, three subjects), but no significant change in MSNA. The failure of GVS to elicit a change in muscle sympathetic nerve activity, as documented by averaging, suggests that the vestibular system is not engaged in short-term modulation of muscle sympathetic activity. Conversely, phasic vestibular inputs do excite cutaneous sympathetic neurones, consistent with the observation that motion sickness is accompanied by pallor and sweating.

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Acknowledgments

VGM is a Senior Research Fellow of the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. DLW was supported by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Foundation. PSB is supported in part by a grant to the Hunter Medical Research Institute from the NSW Dept of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2287, Australia

    Philip S. Bolton

  2. Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, NSW, Australia

    Philip S. Bolton

  3. Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute and University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia

    Daniel L. Wardman & Vaughan G. Macefield

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  1. Philip S. Bolton
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  2. Daniel L. Wardman
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  3. Vaughan G. Macefield
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Correspondence to Philip S. Bolton.

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Bolton, P.S., Wardman, D.L. & Macefield, V.G. Absence of short-term vestibular modulation of muscle sympathetic outflow, assessed by brief galvanic vestibular stimulation in awake human subjects. Exp Brain Res 154, 39–43 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-003-1631-1

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