cox’s chair revisited: can spinning alter mood states?

Although there is clinical and historical evidence for a vivid relation between the vestibular and emotional systems, the neuroscientific underpinnings are poorly understood. The spin doctors of the nineteenth century used spinning chairs (e.g. Cox’s chair) to treat conditions of mania or elevated arousal. On the basis of a recent study on a hexapod motion simulator, in this prototypic investigation we explore the impact of yaw stimulation on a spinning chair on mood states.Using a controlled experimental stimulation paradigm on a unique 3-D-turntable at the University of Zurich we included 11 healthy subjects and assessed parameters of mood states and autonomic nervous system activity. The Multidimensional Mode State Questionnaire (MDMQ) and Visual Analogue Rating Scales (VAS) were used to assess changes of mood in response to a 100 sec yaw stimulation. In addition heart rate was continuously monitored during the experiment.Subjects indicated feeling less good, relaxed, comfortable, and calm and reported an increased alertness after vestibular stimulation. However, there were no objective adverse effects of the stimulation. Accordingly, heart rate did not significantly differ in response to the stimulation.This is the first study in a highly controlled setting using the historical approach of stimulating the vestibular system to impact mood states. It demonstrates a specific interaction between the vestibular system and mood states and thereby supports recent experimental findings with a different stimulation technique. These results may inspire future research on the clinical potential of this method.