Which best describes the vestibulo-ocular reflex?

Which best describes the vestibulo-ocular reflex?

• A. It keeps the eyes centered on a visual stimulus during head movement.
• B. It dilates the pupils during head movement.
• C. It controls eyelid movement.
• D. It encodes sound orientation.

Answer: (A)

Gaze stabilization during head movement is what the vestibulo-ocular reflex is all about. As your head turns, sensors in the inner ear’s semicircular canals detect that angular motion and send signals to the brainstem vestibular nuclei. Those signals then drive the eye muscles to rotate the eyes in the opposite direction, keeping the image on the retina (and particularly on the fovea) so you can see a stationary target clearly even while your head is moving. The reflex operates with a high gain so eye and head movements balance closely in speed and direction. Pupil dilation is an autonomic response not specific to head movement, eyelid movement is controlled by muscles acting on the eyelids, and encoding sound orientation involves broader vestibular processing and other sensory cues rather than the reflex that stabilizes gaze.

Gaze stabilization during head movement is what the vestibulo-ocular reflex is all about. As your head turns, sensors in the inner ear’s semicircular canals detect that angular motion and send signals to the brainstem vestibular nuclei. Those signals then drive the eye muscles to rotate the eyes in the opposite direction, keeping the image on the retina (and particularly on the fovea) so you can see a stationary target clearly even while your head is moving. The reflex operates with a high gain so eye and head movements balance closely in speed and direction.

Pupil dilation is an autonomic response not specific to head movement, eyelid movement is controlled by muscles acting on the eyelids, and encoding sound orientation involves broader vestibular processing and other sensory cues rather than the reflex that stabilizes gaze.