Vestibular cortex and vestibular agnosia

This review analyzes recent literature on the structure of the vestibular cortex. Researchers have identified at least ten brain regions that respond to vestibular stimulation. The vestibular regions identified by caloric, galvanic, and auditory vestibular stimulation are mainly located deep in the lateral sulcus and in the perisylvian cortex around the sylvian fissure. They are also found in the primary somatosensory, posterior parietal, frontal, extrastriate cortex, the cingulate gyrus, and the hippocampus. Together, these regions form the vestibular cortex, a broad network of multisensory regions. Vestibular agnosia as a clinical phenomenon was described in 2021. It is characterized by a decrease or lack of perception of one’s own movements after vestibular stimulation, but normal vestibular reflexes are intact. Possible mechanisms for the development of vestibular agnosia are discussed.