Influence of Body Roll on Visually Induced Sensations of Self-Tilt and Rotation

Illusory self-tilt and illusory self-motion (vection) produced by rotation of a 360° visual scene about the subject's roll axis was measured as a function of the presence or absence of actual rotation of the subject during acceleration of the visual scene. Rotation of the subject to a tilt of 15° was at two levels of acceleration (onset) and with or without a delay between initial rotation and subsequent return (washout) to the vertical position. In one set of conditions, visual motion and subject motion were in opposite directions (concordant) and in another set they were in the same direction (discordant). In two control conditions, the subject was rotated while the visual scene remained stationary. For concordant motion the main effect of body rotation was to reduce the time taken by the subject to indicate self-tilt as compared with the response time to visual motion alone. The magnitude of estimated self-tilt was increased by actual body tilt as could be expected from addition of the perceived actual body tilt and the illusory body tilt induced by visual rotation. This effect of augmented body tilt did not persist after the body was returned to the vertical. The magnitude of vection was not markedly influenced by body rotation and washout. For discordant motion of body and the visual scene, subjects were confused and their responses were very variable, suggesting a nonlinear visual-vestibular interaction.