Figure 6.

Example of short-term adaptation (from Rabbitt et al¹⁸ with permission). The dynamic displacement of the semicircular canal cupula and modulation of afferent nerve discharge were measured simultaneously in response to physiological stimuli in vivo in the oyster toadfish horizontal ampulla. Sustained stimulus caused a decline of the afferent discharge (upper trace) and cupula displacement (middle trace). Elimination of the stimulus (lower trace) therefore resulted in an inhibition of both parameters, even below the original baseline (arrows by us). Sustained stimuli sensitise the vestibular organ against stimuli acting in the other direction.