Modelling the Action of Caloric Stimulation of the Vestibule: III. Caloric Nystagmus Induced by Osmotic Pressure Variation

The properties of the membranous wall of the semi-circular canal and of the labyrinthine fluids give as a result the inflating pressure of this inflatable structure. The difference of osmotic pressure between perilymph and endolymph, which is involved in this problem, depends on temperature. Therefore, a caloric stimulation leads to a change in the inflating pressure. A numerical model, similar to the model used to study the effects of relative volume variations, gives a quantitative estimation of the transcupular pressure arising in a horizontal semi-circular canal (i.e. without gravity dependent effects) during a caloric stimulation, according to the inflating pressure change. As a consequence, it appears that rotational and caloric stimulations are not quite similar. The caloric stimulation leads not only to a transcupular pressure difference but also to a change in inflating pressure. As a result of the change in inflating pressure, the stiffness of the cupula varies. This modifies the gain and the dynamics of the vestibulo-ocular reflex, and may explain the asymmetry between hot and cold stimulations.