Ask Dr. Nick
On today’s episode, Dr. Nick talks about how vestibular stimulation can regulate mood. The vestibular system is the most basic sense that every other sense—like vision, auditory, touch—all build from. It is the foundation for the rest of the senses and feelings including emotions. Receptors in the inner ear connect to the brainstem to give basic balance and equilibrium. From the brainstem, the vestibular connections are vast to multiple areas in the brain including the higher centers for cognition and emotions. This includes connection to the limbic system, which function involves emotions and memory. For this reason, vestibular stimulation has been shown to improve multiple aspects of mood including those with depression, anxiety, aggression, and mania. Check out the video for more in depth information on how vestibular rehabilitation can be used for mood regulation!
Rajagopalan A, Jinu KV, Sailesh KS, Mishra S, Reddy UK, Mukkadan JK. Understanding the links between vestibular and limbic systems regulating emotions. J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2017;8(1):11-15.
