Observations on saccules of rats exposed to long-term hypergravity.

The saccules of 15 centrifuged rats and 15 control rats were examined for morphological alterations resulting from long-term exposure to hypergravity. Minimal changes were found confined to the otolithic membrane. They were a slight decrease in the overall volume of otolithic membrane, a redistribution of otoconia in the direction of the gravitational force, and a more pronounced 'accessory' membrane. These changes were interpreted as purely mechanical effects of hypergravity, causing accelerated displacement of otoconia and subsequent entrapment of some of them on inferior portions of the primary otolithic membrane and 'accessory' membrane.