Understanding of Structure and Function of Vestibular Cortex
- Author:
Min Sun KIM
1
;
Jae Hee LEE
;
Gyoung Wan LEE
;
Byung Rim PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Physiology, Wonkwang University School of Medicine and Vestibulocochlear Research Center, Iksan, Korea. mskim@wku.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
Vestibular system;
Vestibular cortex;
Thalamic nuclei;
Vestibular compensation
- MeSH:
Acceleration;
Animals;
Brain;
Brain Stem;
Cognition;
Gravitation;
Head;
Head Movements;
Memory;
Orientation;
Reflex;
Thalamic Nuclei
- From:Journal of the Korean Balance Society
2010;9(1):1-11
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
The vestibular end-organs generate very sophisticated gravity sensory information about head movement by sensing head acceleration in three-dimensional space. Vestibular information is crucial for higher brain functions such as cognition of spatial orientation, spatial memory, and perception of self-motion. The term "vestibular cortex" represents cortical area where vestibular information is processed, converged with other sensory inputs to maintain cortical functions. The vestibular cortex gives rise to commend signals that control the vestibulosomatic reflex through the modulation of vestibular nuclear activity in the brainstem. The vestibular cortex includes such different cortical regions as the premotor region of the frontal cortex, parietal areas, temporal areas, and a central core region called parietoinsular vestibular cortex. This paper summarizes systemically animal and clinical research data concerned with the vestibular cortex in order to understand anatomy and functions of the vestibular cortex and to provide a basic literature for further study.
