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.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Brain activity during acquisition of long visuospatial sequences.

Frontiers in cognition·2026

Same author

[Chronic vestibular syndromes: Correct diagnosis and treatment].

Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie·2026

Same author

Superior oblique myokymia: diagnostic criteria and long-term outcome.

Journal of neurology·2026

Same author

Multimodal MRI of the reorganization of multisensory and sensorimotor networks in chronic bilateral vestibulopathy.

NeuroImage·2026

Same author

[Imaging diagnostics for neurodegenerative dementias - current clinical reality and important new developments].

Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie·2026

Same author

The Differential Diagnosis of Diplopia.

Deutsches Arzteblatt international·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 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

Imaging cortical activity after vestibular lesions.

Marianne Dieterich¹, Thomas Brandt

¹Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Marchioninistrasse 15, D-81377 Munich, Germany. Marianne.Dieterich@med.uni-muenchen.de

Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience

|January 21, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This review explores human cortical vestibular structures and functions using brain imaging. It compares healthy individuals with patients suffering from vestibular disorders, detailing sensory interactions and lesion impacts.

More Related Videos

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

Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT

Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT

Published on: March 3, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 16, 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

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

Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT

Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT

Published on: March 3, 2023

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Vestibular System Research
Human Neuroimaging

Background:

Current understanding of multisensory vestibular structures in the human cortex is largely based on recent brain activation studies.
Previous research in animals (primates) using tracer and electrophysiological methods identified distinct cortical areas.

Purpose of the Study:

To review current knowledge of multisensory vestibular structures and their functions in the human cortex.
To compare brain activation patterns in healthy subjects with those in patients with vestibular disorders.

Main Methods:

Analysis of brain activation studies using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) in humans.
Comparison of activation/deactivation patterns during vestibular stimulation in healthy subjects versus patients with peripheral and central vestibular disorders.

Main Results:

Confirmed existence of distinct cortical areas for vestibular processing, aligning with prior animal studies.
Observed patterns of cortical activation and deactivation during vestibular stimulation in healthy individuals.
Identified changes in patients with various vestibular lesions, including peripheral (vestibular neuritis, bilateral vestibular failure) and central (Wallenberg's syndrome) types.

Conclusions:

Cortical vestibular structures play a crucial role in sensory integration and maintaining perceptual-motor functions.
Understanding these structures and their responses to lesions is vital for diagnosing and treating vestibular disorders.
Further research into interconnections and interactions with other sensory modalities will refine our knowledge of vestibular processing.