Vestibular system and cognition: What is the link between vestibular disorders and cognitive dysfunction? A narrative review

Main Article Content

Cristián Aedo-Sánchez

Keywords

Vestibular system, cognition, spatial memory, dementia

Abstract

The vestibular apparatus detects changes in angular acceleration of the head and linear acceleration of the body, enabling spatial orientation. Peripheral information ascends via afferent pathways to the central vestibular pathways, projecting to the auditory thalamus and the parieto-insular vestibular cortex. This information enables the execution of cogniti- ve functions such as navigation and spatial orientation, memory, and visuospatial abilities. Over the last decade, it has been postulated that vestibular dysfunctions could have a signi- ficant impact on the execution of various cognitive domains and even establish a causal re- lationship in the generation of some dementias, such as Alzheimer’s disease. This review will address the main pathways associated with vestibular processing, the relationship between the vestibular system and cognitive dysfunctions, and, finally, the possible role of vestibular dysfunctions in the genesis of some neurodegenerative diseases.

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