TY - JOUR PY - 1995// TI - Clinical features of mal de debarquement: adaptation and habituation to sea conditions JO - Journal of vestibular research: equilibrium and orientation A1 - Gordon, C. R. A1 - Spitzer, Orna A1 - Doweck, I. A1 - Melamed, Y. A1 - Shupak, A. SP - 363 EP - 369 VL - 5 IS - 5 N2 - A survey conducted among 116 crew members of seagoing vessels confirmed that mal de debarquement (M-D) is a transient feeling of swinging, swaying, unsteadiness, and disequilibrium. None of the subjects requested medical attention, although there were isolated cases in which a strong sensation of swinging and unsteadiness caused transient postural instability and impaired the ability to drive. In most cases, the sensation of M-D appeared immediately on disembarking and generally lasted a few hours. In addition, subjects usually described bouts or attacks of M-D associated with changes in body posture, head position, or with closing of the eyes. M-D was reported by 72% of our subjects. Sixty-six percent of subjects reported a high incidence following their first voyages. A significant positive correlation was found between M-D and seasickness susceptibility. The nature of M-D may be explained within the framework of multisensorimotor adaptation and habituation to a new or abnormal motion environment. It is suggested that M-D represents a dynamic, multisensorimotor form of CNS adaptive plasticity.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0957-4271 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -