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The Vestibular System

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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

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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...

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Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Using Eye-tracking to Assess the Relative Importance of Visual and Vestibular Input to Subcortical Motion Processing in the Roll Plane

Using Eye-tracking to Assess the Relative Importance of Visual and Vestibular Input to Subcortical Motion Processing in the Roll Plane

Published on: August 22, 2025

Vestibular signals in macaque extrastriate visual cortex are functionally appropriate for heading perception.

Sheng Liu¹, Dora E Angelaki

¹Department of Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience

|July 17, 2009

Summary

Neurons in the dorsal medial superior temporal area (MSTd) selectively process heading information, distinguishing self-motion from gravity changes. This brain region

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Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

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Published on: May 23, 2013

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Sensory Processing
Spatial Navigation

Background:

The dorsal medial superior temporal area (MSTd) integrates visual and vestibular signals for heading perception.
Peripheral vestibular signals, particularly from otoliths, are ambiguous regarding self-motion versus gravitational orientation.
The cerebellar vermis (lobules 9 and 10) also processes vestibular information for balance and spatial orientation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how MSTd neurons process vestibular signals related to heading perception and spatial orientation.
To compare the response properties of MSTd neurons with those of the cerebellar vermis.

Main Methods:

Electrophysiological recordings from MSTd neurons in macaque monkeys.
Stimulation paradigms involving linear and rotational accelerations to simulate self-motion and changes in orientation.
Analysis of neuronal responses to distinguish heading-specific signals from orientation-related signals.

Main Results:

MSTd neurons selectively respond to heading, differentiating self-motion from changes in orientation relative to gravity.
MSTd neuronal responses exhibit velocity-like temporal dynamics, potentially optimizing integration with visual motion.
MSTd neurons also encode rotation signals from semicircular canals, independent of spatial orientation.

Conclusions:

Vestibular signals in MSTd are processed to support multisensory heading perception for spatial navigation.
MSTd's processing of vestibular information is distinct from the peripheral vestibular system and shares similarities with cerebellar function but includes unique rotational processing.
These findings highlight MSTd's crucial role in accurately interpreting self-motion cues.