Vestibular function in the temporal and parietal cortex: distinct velocity and inertial processing pathways.

Jocelyne Ventre-Dominey

doi:10.3389/fnint.2014.00053

Jocelyne Ventre-Dominey

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2014.00053

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Abstract

A number of behavioral and neuroimaging studies have reported converging data in favor of a cortical network for vestibular function, distributed between the temporo-parietal cortex and the prefrontal cortex in the primate. In this review, we focus on the role of the cerebral cortex in visuo-vestibular integration including the motion sensitive temporo-occipital areas i.e., the middle superior temporal area (MST) and the parietal cortex. Indeed, these two neighboring cortical regions, though they both receive combined vestibular and visual information, have distinct implications in vestibular function. In sum, this review of the literature leads to the idea of two separate cortical vestibular sub-systems forming (1) a velocity pathway including MST and direct descending pathways on vestibular nuclei. As it receives well-defined visual and vestibular velocity signals, this pathway is likely involved in heading perception and rapid top-down regulation of eye/head coordination and (2) an inertial processing pathway involving the parietal cortex in connection with the subcortical vestibular nuclei complex responsible for velocity storage integration. This vestibular cortical pathway would be implicated in high-order multimodal integration and cognitive functions, including world space and self-referential processing.

Highlights

Since the early clinical observations suggestive of a cortical role in vestibular function (Carmichael et al, 1954; Penfield and Jasper, 1954), empirical data on the underpinnings of such a cortical vestibular integration have been provided only in the 1980s, by behavioral and electrophysiological recording experiments conducted in animals
PERSPECTIVES In conclusion, this review on the different components of the lateral parietal and temporal cortex leads to the idea of two separate cortical vestibular fields as it is schematically represented in Figure 8: www.frontiersin.org described above and implicated in high-order cortical processes linked to spatial referential processing
If such a hypothetical cortico-vestibular architecture involved in cognitive functions has been built on the basis of the literature review, this hypothesis forms the basis for a program of future research

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Since the early clinical observations suggestive of a cortical role in vestibular function (Carmichael et al, 1954; Penfield and Jasper, 1954), empirical data on the underpinnings of such a cortical vestibular integration have been provided only in the 1980s, by behavioral and electrophysiological recording experiments conducted in animals. In order to compensate for body displacements, the MST region in complement to other visual-vestibular cortical sites will preferentially compute velocity signals issued from the retina or head sensors and it might contribute to eye/head coordination during rapid body orientation This temporal cortical pole related to self-motion perception and rapid eye/head coordination might form a dissociated path from the parietal cortical pole whose implication in inertial vestibular signal integration and space representation will be considered . There, we will try to identify and assemble the functional features of this parieto-temporal region suggestive of integration (e.g., velocity to position) of visual and vestibular signals in the context of space representation

IS THE PARIETAL CORTEX IMPLICATED IN AN INERTIAL PROCESSING PATHWAY?

CONCLUSION AND THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES