Impaired Attentional Processing During Parabolic Flight.

Previous studies suggest that altered gravity levels during parabolic flight maneuvers affect spatial updating. Little is known about the impact of the experimental setting and psychological stressors associated with parabolic flight experiments on attentional processes. To address this gap, we investigated the level of alertness, selective and sustained attention in 1 and 0 g using a Go/No-Go Continuous Performance Task.

New software dedicated to virtual mazes for human cognitive investigations.

Background: Compared to previous neuropsychological investigations with standard paper-pen tests limited to test complex spatial learning and memory processes, 3-D virtual immersive technology might offer new tools for research purposes and for diagnosis in patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

Comparison With Existing Methods: Current software proposes a customizable VR environment combined with an analyser module based on regions of interest and some parameters of analysis or pre-calibrated VR mazes with raw data.

New Method: We attempted to create the VRmaze software offering either turnkey mazes with automatic tracking and analysis, or more complex and specific virtual mazes for human brain-behavioural research adaptable to all desired settings and parameters of analysis.

The critical role of vestibular graviception during cognitive-motor development.

Earth's gravity acts both as a mechanical stimulus on the body and as a sensory stimulus to the vestibular organ, which is transmitted into the brain. The vestibular system has been recently highlighted as the cornerstone of the multisensory cortex and of the dorsal hippocampus related to spatial cognition. Consequently, we have hypothesized that the vestibular sensory perception of gravity by the otoliths might also play a crucial role during the first stages of development in both sensorimotor and cognitive functions and the construction and perception of the 'self' and related functions of orientation and navigation.

Morphological and functional correlates of vestibular synaptic deafferentation and repair in a mouse model of acute-onset vertigo.

Damage to cochlear primary afferent synapses has been shown to be a key factor in various auditory pathologies. Similarly, the selective lesioning of primary vestibular synapses might be an underlying cause of peripheral vestibulopathies that cause vertigo and dizziness, for which the pathophysiology is currently unknown. To thoroughly address this possibility, we selectively damaged the synaptic contacts between hair cells and primary vestibular neurons in mice through the transtympanic administration of a glutamate receptor agonist.

Hippocampal LTP modulation and glutamatergic receptors following vestibular loss.

Vestibular dysfunction strongly impairs hippocampus-dependent spatial memory performance and place cell function. However, the hippocampal encoding of vestibular information at the synaptic level, remains sparsely explored and controversial. We investigated changes in in vivo long-term potentiation (LTP) and NMDA glutamate receptor (NMDAr) density and distribution after bilateral vestibular lesions (BVL) in adult rats.