Neuroplastic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies of Vestibular Compensation in Unilateral Vestibulopathy

Unilateral peripheral vestibular lesions cause a reduction in neural activity within the ipsi-lesional medial vestibular nucleus (ipsi-MVe), resulting in both static and dynamic asymmetries in vestibulo-ocular and vestibulo-spinal reflexes. These asymmetries manifest as spontaneous nystagmus, postural deviation, oscillopsia, and an unsteady gait. However, these behavioral deficits recover over time through a process known as vestibular compensation, which can be divided into static and dynamic phases.