Lead supervisor:
Dr Petroc Sumner 
Start date: October 2014
Award: General
Subject Pathway:
Psychology
Thematic Cluster:
Language, Learning and Behaviour Cluster
Understanding the visual triggers of visual vertigo
Patients with visual vertigo report nausea, light-headedness and instability when exposed to certain everyday situations; for example, whilst driving a car or walking down a supermarket isle. I am concerned with identifying the components of a visual scene which trigger such responses, using this information to create clinical tests for visual vertigo, and to design rehabilitation tools.
I will be employing psychophysical methodology in order to identify:
- whether there are specific components of a visual scene which induce vertiginous symptoms; and
- whether they demonstrate any deficits in psychophysical tasks when compared to controls.