Physics

Neuroscience

Vestibular system

Perception

Action (physics)

Mathematics

Motion (physics)

Orientation (vector space)

Cognitive psychology

Artificial intelligence

Psychology

Geometry

Computer science

Quantum mechanics

Communication

Motion perception

Information processing

Nature reviews. Neuroscience

How the brain computes accurate estimates of our self-motion relative to the world and our orientation relative to gravity in order to ensure accurate perception and motor control is a fundamental neuroscientific question. Recent experiments have revealed that the vestibular system encodes this information during everyday activities using pathway-specific neural representations. Furthermore, new findings have established that vestibular signals are selectively combined with extravestibular information at the earliest stages of central vestibular processing in a manner that depends on the current behavioural goal. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the brain mechanisms that ensure accurate perception and behaviour during everyday activities and for our understanding of disorders of vestibular processing. In addition to ensuring stable gaze and posture, the vestibular system contributes to the perception of self-motion and orientation. In this Review, Cullen provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in our understanding of sensory encoding and integration in the vestibular pathways.

Vestibular processing during natural self-motion: implications for perception and action