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

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...

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

Identifying dynamic antithrombin Ⅲ trajectories to predict clinical outcomes in intra-abdominal sepsis.

Journal of intensive medicine·2026

Same author

Plasma soluble CD147 levels in sepsis: the association with disease severity and the prediction for clinical outcome.

Critical care (London, England)·2026

Same author

A stable composite face effect in 3.5-year-old Chinese children: Evidence from a complete composite paradigm.

Journal of experimental child psychology·2026

Same author

A machine learning-based prediction model for poor prognosis in sepsis using lymphocyte count: a national, multicenter prospective cohort.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Exploratory Analysis of Cortical-Vestibular Interaction: The Relation Between Caloric-Induced Changes in Electroencephalography Frequency Bands, the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex, and Perception.

Ear and hearing·2025

Same author

Recordability of the vestibular cerebellar evoked potential.

International journal of audiology·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 4, 2025

Estimating Vestibular Perceptual Thresholds Using a Six-Degree-Of-Freedom Motion Platform

Estimating Vestibular Perceptual Thresholds Using a Six-Degree-Of-Freedom Motion Platform

Published on: August 4, 2022

Case Study: Depersonalization and Vestibular Impairment.

Yini Sun¹, Allison Coltisor¹, Gary P Jacobson¹

¹Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.

Journal of the American Academy of Audiology

|May 24, 2021

Summary

This case study highlights episodic vertigo and depersonalization. Vestibular testing revealed specific otolith dysfunction, suggesting a link between peripheral vestibular impairment and these symptoms.

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

Author Spotlight: Developing Low-Tech Balance Assessment Methods for Broad-Spectrum Healthcare Applications

Author Spotlight: Developing Low-Tech Balance Assessment Methods for Broad-Spectrum Healthcare Applications

Published on: September 1, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 4, 2025

Estimating Vestibular Perceptual Thresholds Using a Six-Degree-Of-Freedom Motion Platform

Estimating Vestibular Perceptual Thresholds Using a Six-Degree-Of-Freedom Motion Platform

Published on: August 4, 2022

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

Author Spotlight: Developing Low-Tech Balance Assessment Methods for Broad-Spectrum Healthcare Applications

Author Spotlight: Developing Low-Tech Balance Assessment Methods for Broad-Spectrum Healthcare Applications

Published on: September 1, 2023

Area of Science:

Neurology
Otolaryngology
Vestibular System

Background:

A patient presented with episodic vertigo and depersonalization, a sensation of self-detachment.
The case study investigates the clinical evaluation of vertiginous patients experiencing depersonalization.

Observation:

A retrospective chart review focused on vestibular function testing in a patient with vertigo and depersonalization.
The patient reported sensations of detachment from their own body.

Findings:

Vestibular function tests showed absent left-sided cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP and oVEMP).
Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT), videonystagmography, and rotational chair results were normal, indicating isolated peripheral otolith impairment (saccule and utricle).

Implications:

Otolith end-organ impairment can explain postural deviation in patients.
Clinicians should consider depersonalization complaints and perform vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing for potential unilateral peripheral otolith impairment.