The vestibular system, or balance system, is the sensory system that provides the dominant input about our movement and orientation in space. Together with the
cochlea, the auditory organ, it is situated in the
vestibulum in the
inner ear (Figure 1). As our movements consist of rotations and translations, the vestibular system comprises two components: the
semicircular canals, which indicate rotational movements; and the
Otoliths, which indicate linear translations. The vestibular system sends signals primarily to the neural structures that control our eye movements, and to the muscles that keep us upright. The projections to the former provide the anatomical basis of the
vestibulo-ocular reflex, which is required for clear vision; and the projections to the muscles that control our posture are necessary to keep us upright.
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