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Motion sickness and otolith sensitivity - A pilot study of habituation to linear accelerationAstronauts, particularly in Skylab flights, experienced varying degrees of motion sickness lasting 3-5 days. One possible mechanism for this motion sickness adaptation is believed to be a reduction in otolith sensitivity with an attendant reduction in sensory conflict. In an attempt to determine if this hypothesis is valid, a ground-based pilot study was conducted on a vertical linear accelerator. The extent of habituation to accelerations which initially produced motion sickness was evaluated, along with the possible value of habituation training to minimize the space motion sickness problem. Results showed that habituation occurred for 6 of the 8 subjects tested. However, in tests designed to measure dynamic and static otolith function, no significant differences between pre- and post-habituation tests were observed. Cross habituation effects to a standard Coriolis acceleration test were not significant. It is unlikely that ground-based pre-habituation to linear accelerations of the type examined would alter susceptibility to space motion sickness.
Document ID
19780029363
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Potvin, A. R.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, Calif.; Texas, University, Arlington, Tex., United States)
Sadoff, M.
(NASA Ames Research Center Biomedical Research Div., Moffett Field, Calif., United States)
Billingham, J.
(NASA Ames Research Center Extraterrestrial Biology Div., Moffett Field, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1977
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Accession Number
78A13272
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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