Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Vestibular System

The Vestibular System

The vestibular system is a set of inner ear structures that provide a sense of balance and spatial orientation. This system is comprised of structures within the labyrinth of the inner ear, including the cochlea and two otolith organs—the utricle and saccule. The labyrinth also contains three semicircular canals—superior, posterior, and horizontal—that are oriented on different planes.

Equilibrium and Balance

Equilibrium and Balance

The inner ear assumes dual functionalities of auditory perception and equilibrium maintenance. The vestibule is the organ responsible for balance. This organ contains mechanoreceptors, specifically hair cells, endowed with stereocilia, which aid in deciphering information regarding the position and motion of our heads. Two intrinsic components, the utricle and saccule, help perceive head position, while the semicircular canals track head movement. Neurological messages initiated in the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Skull Vibration Induced afternystagmus: A new clinical indicator of superior canal dehiscence.

European annals of otorhinolaryngology, head and neck diseases·2025

Same author

[A rare case of atypical hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia].

Zhonghua gan zang bing za zhi = Zhonghua ganzangbing zazhi = Chinese journal of hepatology·2023

Same author

Baroreflex failure as a long-term sequela of head and neck irradiation.

Journal of neurology·2022

Same author

Capturing nystagmus in the emergency room: posterior circulation stroke versus acute vestibular neuritis.

Journal of neurology·2022

Same author

Corrigendum to "Phase-locking of irregular Guinea pig primary vestibular afferents to high frequency (>250 Hz) sound and vibration" [Hear. Res. 373 (2019) 59-70].

Hearing research·2020

Same author

Phase-locking of irregular guinea pig primary vestibular afferents to high frequency (>250 Hz) sound and vibration.

Hearing research·2019

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Three Dimensional Vestibular Ocular Reflex Testing Using a Six Degrees of Freedom Motion Platform

Three Dimensional Vestibular Ocular Reflex Testing Using a Six Degrees of Freedom Motion Platform

Published on: May 23, 2013

Human otolithic function before and after unilateral vestibular neurectomy.

I S Curthoys¹, M J Dai, G M Halmagyi

¹Department of Psychology, University of Sydney, N.S.W., Australia.

Journal of Vestibular Research : Equilibrium & Orientation

|January 1, 1990

Summary

Patients undergoing vestibular nerve section show an asymmetrical oculogravic illusion after surgery. This suggests a version of Ewald's second law may apply to the otolithic system, indicating response asymmetry for linear accelerations.

More Related Videos

Surgical Labyrinthectomy of the Rat to Study the Vestibular System

Surgical Labyrinthectomy of the Rat to Study the Vestibular System

Published on: May 19, 2018

Using Unidirectional Rotations to Improve Vestibular System Asymmetry in Patients with Vestibular Dysfunction

Using Unidirectional Rotations to Improve Vestibular System Asymmetry in Patients with Vestibular Dysfunction

Published on: August 30, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Three Dimensional Vestibular Ocular Reflex Testing Using a Six Degrees of Freedom Motion Platform

Three Dimensional Vestibular Ocular Reflex Testing Using a Six Degrees of Freedom Motion Platform

Published on: May 23, 2013

Surgical Labyrinthectomy of the Rat to Study the Vestibular System

Surgical Labyrinthectomy of the Rat to Study the Vestibular System

Published on: May 19, 2018

Using Unidirectional Rotations to Improve Vestibular System Asymmetry in Patients with Vestibular Dysfunction

Using Unidirectional Rotations to Improve Vestibular System Asymmetry in Patients with Vestibular Dysfunction

Published on: August 30, 2019

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Vestibular System Research
Human Perception Studies

Background:

The oculogravic illusion, where a visual target appears to tilt with perceived body tilt during centrifugation, is a key indicator of otolith function.
Unilateral vestibular nerve section (UVNS) is a surgical procedure impacting the vestibular system.
Prior research indicates symmetrical oculogravic illusion responses before UVNS.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the post-operative oculogravic illusion response asymmetry in patients following unilateral vestibular nerve section.
To explore the potential application of Ewald's second law to the otolithic system regarding linear acceleration responses.

Main Methods:

Assessing the oculogravic illusion in patients before and one week after unilateral vestibular nerve section.
Measuring perceived roll-tilt of a luminous bar under centrifugal stimulation with forces directed towards the intact and operated ears.
Comparing the magnitude of the illusion between conditions.

Main Results:

Patients exhibited symmetrical oculogravic illusion responses pre-operatively.
Post-operatively, a significant asymmetry was observed: the illusion was perceived strongly when force was directed towards the intact ear, but greatly reduced when directed towards the operated ear.
This perceptual asymmetry mirrors known asymmetrical vestibulo-ocular responses in the horizontal semicircular canals.

Conclusions:

A significant asymmetry in the oculogravic illusion response occurs after unilateral vestibular nerve section.
The findings support the hypothesis that a version of Ewald's second law, describing response asymmetry for accelerations, may also apply to the otolithic system.
This suggests inherent or induced asymmetries in otolithic processing of linear accelerations.