Ocular tilt reaction

The Ocular tilt reaction (OTR), comprises skew deviation, head tilt and ocular torsion involving structures of the inner ear responsible for maintenance of balance of the body i.e. the semi-circular canals (SCC), utricle and saccule. The Ocular tilt reaction (OTR), comprises skew deviation, head tilt and ocular torsion involving structures of the inner ear responsible for maintenance of balance of the body i.e. the semi-circular canals (SCC), utricle and saccule. Each anterior semi-circular canals has excitatory projections to the ipsilateral superior rectus muscle and its yoke i.e., the contralateral inferior oblique while simultaneously inhibiting the ipsilateral inferior rectus muscle and its yoke i.e. the contralateral superior oblique. Also, each posterior semi-circular canals has excitatory projections to the ipsilateral superior oblique and its yoke i.e. the contralateral inferior rectus, while simultaneously inhibiting the ipsilateral inferior oblique and its yoke i.e. the contralateral superior rectus. A head tilt causes stimulation of both anterior semi-circular canals and the posterior semi-circular canals resulting in excitation of ipsilateral intorters (superior oblique and superior rectus) and contralateral extorters (inferior oblique and inferior rectus) while their antagonists are simultaneously inhibited. The otoliths (utricle and saccule) probably follow a similar pathway.