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Related Concept Videos

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

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Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the...
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The Vestibular System01:29

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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.
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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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The indirect motor or extrapyramidal pathways originate in the brainstem, the lower portion of the brain that connects it to the spinal cord. They consist of several distinct tracts, each with specialized functions. The four main tracts of the indirect motor pathways are the vestibulospinal tract, the reticulospinal tract, the tectospinal tract, and the rubrospinal tract.
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Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.
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The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 28, 2026

Using Eye-tracking to Assess the Relative Importance of Visual and Vestibular Input to Subcortical Motion Processing in the Roll Plane
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Disturbed cervical proprioception affects perception of spatial orientation while in motion.

Eva-Maj Malmström1,2, Per-Anders Fransson3, Terese Jaxmar Bruinen4

  • 1Department of Pain Rehabilitation, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. eva-maj.malmstrom@med.lu.se.

Experimental Brain Research
|June 18, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Cervical proprioception significantly influences spatial orientation and postural control. Vibrations on dorsal neck muscles increased forward body displacement, while left-sided vibrations induced rightward rotation, impacting balance.

Keywords:
OrientationPosition senseProprioceptionSpatial perception

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biomechanics
  • Sensory Systems

Background:

  • Dynamic stability relies on integrated proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular systems.
  • The precise roles and interactions of these sensory systems in maintaining balance are not fully elucidated.
  • Understanding spatial perception and postural orientation is crucial for addressing balance disorders and their rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of cervical proprioception on spatial displacement and orientation during a stepping-in-place task.
  • To determine the differential effects of vibratory stimulation on specific cervical muscles on body movement and rotation.
  • To elucidate the contribution of cervical afferents to internal spatial representation and postural control.

Main Methods:

  • 16 healthy subjects performed stepping-in-place tests without visual or auditory cues.
  • Vibration was applied to four different cervical muscles in a randomized order.
  • Spatial displacement (moved distance) and rotation were quantified to assess postural control and orientation.

Main Results:

  • Forward body displacement ('Moved distance') was a typical behavior.
  • Vibration on dorsal cervical muscles significantly increased forward displacement (916 mm) compared to ventral muscles (715 mm).
  • Vibration on left-sided muscles induced significant rightward rotation (16°), while right-sided vibration caused minimal rotation (3°).
  • Rotation rate was higher with ventral muscle vibration (0.44°/s) versus dorsal (0.33°/s).

Conclusions:

  • Cervical proprioception plays a critical role in internal spatial orientation.
  • Modulation of cervical afferents directly impacts spatial displacement and rotational control during movement.
  • These findings underscore the importance of cervical sensory feedback for maintaining dynamic postural stability.