Qualitative and quantitative assessment of magnetic vestibular stimulation in humans

Dewey, Rebecca S; Gomez, Rachel; Degg, Chris; Baguley, David M; Glover, Paul

Abstract

The sensation of phantom motion or exhibition of bodily sway is often reported in the proximity of an MR scanner. It is proposed that the magnetic field stimulates the vestibular system. There are a number of possible mechanisms responsible, and the relative contributions of susceptibility on the otolithic receptors and the Lorentz force on the cupulae have not yet been explored. This exploratory study aims to investigate the impact of being in the proximity of a 7.0 T MR scanner. The modified clinical test of sensory interaction on balance (mCTSIB) was used to qualitatively ascertain whether or not healthy control subjects who passed the mCTSIB in normal conditions 1) experienced subjective sensations of dizziness, vertigo or of leaning or shifting in gravity when in the magnetic field and 2) exhibited visibly increased bodily sway whilst in the magnetic field compared to outside the magnetic field. Condition IV of the mCTSIB was video recorded outside and inside the magnetic field, providing a semi-quantitative measure of sway.
For condition IV of the mCTSIB (visual and proprioceptive cues compromised), all seven locations/orientations around the scanner yielded significantly more sway than at baseline (p

Citation

Dewey, R. S., Gomez, R., Degg, C., Baguley, D. M., & Glover, P. (2020). Qualitative and quantitative assessment of magnetic vestibular stimulation in humans. Journal of Vestibular Research, 30(6), 353-361. https://doi.org/10.3233/VES-201538

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 8, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Dec 16, 2020
• Publication Date: Dec 16, 2020
• Deposit Date: Nov 10, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 16, 2020
• Journal: Journal of Vestibular Research
• Print ISSN: 0957-4271
• Electronic ISSN: 1878-6464
• Publisher: IOS Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 353-361
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3233/VES-201538
• Keywords: vestibular; magnetic resonance imaging
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5032717
• Publisher URL: https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-vestibular-research/ves201538