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The cortical vestibular system: insights from electroencephalography.
Adolfo M Bronstein1, Jasmine L Mirdamadi2,3, Toby J Ellmers1
1Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, UK.
Current Opinion in Neurology
|November 28, 2025
Summary
Electroencephalography (EEG) now reveals cortical roles in balance and vestibular function. Modern EEG analysis helps diagnose vestibular disorders by identifying abnormal brain activity patterns.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Vestibular Science
- Clinical Neurophysiology
Background:
- Electroencephalography (EEG) is crucial for epilepsy diagnosis but historically underutilized for dizziness and balance disorders.
- Recent advancements enable EEG to explore cortical involvement in vestibular and balance functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize recent methodological and conceptual advances in using EEG for vestibular and balance function.
- To demonstrate how modern EEG analyses can probe cortical contributions to these functions.
Main Methods:
- Review of contemporary analytic techniques applied to EEG data during vestibular stimulation and postural control.
- Utilization of mobile EEG for signal acquisition during movement and direct vestibular stimulation.
- Analysis of oscillatory patterns (alpha-band, beta-band) and perturbation-evoked potentials.
Main Results:
- Alpha-band and beta-band EEG activity correlate with vestibular perception, adaptation, and postural control.
- Abnormal oscillatory patterns in patients with vestibular dysfunction indicate disrupted sensory integration and attention.
- Mobile EEG allows quantification of cortical responses to movement and vestibular stimulation.
Conclusions:
- EEG is a powerful, accessible tool for understanding cortical contributions to vestibular processing and balance.
- Emerging EEG applications can identify neurophysiological biomarkers for vestibular dysfunction.
- These findings can improve diagnostic accuracy and guide rehabilitation strategies for balance disorders.
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