What causes motion sickness? The theory of vestibular sensory conflict is to blame, but scientists are also studying astronauts to understand the cause even more.
What causes motion sickness? The theory of vestibular sensory conflict is to blame, but scientists are also studying astronauts to understand the cause even more.Motion sickness is caused by vestibular sensory conflict.
This means, there is a difference between incoming vestibular information and what we expect that vestibular information to be.Look at the horizon or close your eyes It’s happened to many road trippers. You’re in the back of the car, reading or looking at your phone, when motion sickness hits. Nausea sets in, perhaps dizziness or a headache. The ride is ruined. Help may come from scientists who are studying the ultimate trip – space travel. Astronauts must also cope with motion sickness, and researchers are hoping to help space exploration by stopping symptoms. People on Earth may also benefit.found that 59 percent of participants had experienced motion sickness in the past five years. For astronauts, motion sickness is even more common. “Reports aren’t perfect, but we estimate that serious symptoms of motion sickness, including vomiting, impact around 70 percent of astronauts despite motion sickness medication such as scopolamine,” says Aaron Allred, a postdoctoral research fellow in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado-Boulder. So why does motion make so many people sick? Vestibular sensory conflict is one of the most widely accepted theories. “It’s best described as a difference between incoming vestibular information and what we expect that vestibular information to be,” Allred says. “You can imagine riding in the back of a car, reading a book. There is a lot of vestibular sensory conflict here because you can’t expect the motion, so you are just receiving it passively.” The car’s driver, in contrast, is looking at the road and processing visual information along with feeling movements. This helps the brain form expectations.Allred and his research partners wanted to test vestibular sensory conflict. To do so, they recruited participants who agreed to get motion sick for the sake of science. Three times, the participants went to the researchers’ laboratory where they sat on a sled in the dark. On each occasion, the sled slid from side to side, mimicking the motion a person might feel when a car makes a turn. “Each time we provided the same exact motion, but in each case, a different electrical stimulation to the vestibular system was provided,” Allred says. Some of the electrical stimulation was intended to help mediate motion sickness. But some were meant to make it worse.The study found that the electrical stimulation meant to help reduce motion sickness indeed reduced it by a reported 26 percent. The electrical stimulation intended to worsen motion sickness had the desired effect, and participants reported a 56 percent increase in symptoms. Electrical stimulation to reduce motion sickness is not yet available to the public. So, people trying to prevent motion sickness need to avoid vestibular sensory conflict. “Looking at fixed elements in the cabin, like reading a book, is probably the worst thing you can do since it gives you a false expectation of what your vestibular system will sense during the transit, so if windows aren’t an option, it may be better to keep your eyes closed,” Allred says.If vestibular sensory conflict is avoided, motion sickness should be stopped. If dizziness continues long after the car is put in park, a person may need to consult with a physician. Motion sickness can alsoPeople with conditions like persistent postural-perceptual dizziness or vestibular migraine may be more susceptible to motion sickness. And because their symptoms are similar to motion sickness, it can be difficult for physicians to diagnose. Relief may come in the future as scientists working to tackle motion sickness in space share their findings with those on Earth.use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article: Visual vertigo and motion sickness is different between persistent postural-perceptual dizziness and vestibular migraine Emilie Lucchesi has written for some of the country's largest newspapers, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and an MA from DePaul University. She also holds a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Illinois-Chicago with an emphasis on media framing, message construction and stigma communication. Emilie has authored three nonfiction books. Her third, A Light in the Dark: Surviving More Than Ted Bundy, releases October 3, 2023, from Chicago Review Press and is co-authored with survivor Kathy Kleiner Rubin.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Energy demand may break peak record for May, ERCOT projections showHigh temperatures this week are projected to set a record-breaking peak demand for May, according to projections from Texas' power grid operator.
Read more »
Shibarium's Big Block Breakthrough May Come This MayShibarium sets pace for big block milestone amid SHIB pending breakout
Read more »
Beyoncé tickets: Cheapest Chicago concert seats, May 15, May 17, May 18How to get the cheapest tickets available to Beyoncé's Chicago concerts this Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (May 15, 17, 18).
Read more »
The DC Universe Has Already Set Up Its Own Version Of The MCU's New Avengers Vs Avengers Conflict According To Explosive DC TheoryThe iconic 'Justice' and 'Avengers' names may start creating some conflict...
Read more »
Avoiding conflict and ignoring conflict are not the same thing.Social animals have developed remarkable ways to manage conflict and preserve relationships. What can their behavior teach us about staying connected, even when things get tough?
Read more »
Indian military chief acknowledges loss of fighter jets in May conflict with PakistanIndia’s military has acknowledged for the first time that an unspecified number of its fighter jets were shot down during strikes on Pakistani-controlled territory amid intense fighting between the neighbors in early May.
Read more »