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Related Concept Videos

The Vestibular System01:29

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.
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...
Equilibrium and Balance01:15

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Using Eye-tracking to Assess the Relative Importance of Visual and Vestibular Input to Subcortical Motion Processing in the Roll Plane
07:24

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

The human vestibular cortex revealed by coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis.

C Lopez1, O Blanke, F W Mast

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. christophe.lopez@univ-amu.fr

Neuroscience
|April 21, 2012
PubMed
Summary

The vestibular system

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Three Dimensional Vestibular Ocular Reflex Testing Using a Six Degrees of Freedom Motion Platform
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Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT
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Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

Using Eye-tracking to Assess the Relative Importance of Visual and Vestibular Input to Subcortical Motion Processing in the Roll Plane
07:24

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

Three Dimensional Vestibular Ocular Reflex Testing Using a Six Degrees of Freedom Motion Platform
10:12

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

Published on: May 23, 2013

Measuring the Influence of Magnetic Vestibular Stimulation on Nystagmus, Self-Motion Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a 7T MRT
08:57

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 Brain Imaging

Background:

  • The vestibular system is crucial for posture, eye movements, and cognitive functions like spatial navigation.
  • The precise location of the human vestibular cortex, receiving vestibular input, remains debated.
  • Previous studies used varied stimulation methods (CVS, GVS, auditory) with differing receptor activation and sensory confounds.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To statistically analyze and localize the human vestibular cortex using meta-analysis.
  • To evaluate the convergence of brain activation across different vestibular stimulation methods.
  • To identify cortical areas receiving convergent vestibular input from otoliths and semicircular canals.

Main Methods:

  • Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies.
  • Analysis of 352 activation foci from 16 studies with 192 healthy participants.
  • Inclusion of studies using caloric vestibular stimulation (CVS), galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS), and auditory stimuli.

Main Results:

  • Common activation across CVS, GVS, and auditory stimuli was found in the Sylvian fissure, insula, retroinsular cortex (Ri), fronto-parietal operculum, superior temporal gyrus, and cingulate cortex.
  • Convergence between two stimulation methods occurred in the insula, parietal operculum, and Ri.
  • The retroinsular cortex (Ri) was the sole region showing convergence across all three stimulation methods.

Conclusions:

  • The retroinsular cortex (Ri), parietal operculum, and posterior insula are key vestibular regions.
  • These areas likely integrate vestibular signals from both otoliths and semicircular canals.
  • Findings align with primate electrophysiology, suggesting these regions are critical for processing spatial orientation information.