Understanding the links between vestibular and limbic systems regulating emotions

Abstract

Vestibular system, which consists of structures in the inner ear and brainstem, plays a vital role is body balance and patient well-being. In recent years, modulating this system by vestibular stimulation techniques are reported to be effective in stress relief and possibly patient's emotional well-being. Emotions refer to an aroused state involving intense feeling, autonomic activation, and related change in behavior, which accompany many of our conscious experiences. The limbic system is primarily involved in the regulation of emotions. Considering the extensive networks between vestibular and limbic system, it is likely that vestibular stimulation techniques may be useful in influencing emotions. Hence, we review here, the possible mechanisms through which vestibular system can influence emotions and highlight the necessary knowledge gaps, which warrants further research to develop vestibular stimulation techniques as a means to treat health conditions associated with emotional disturbances.

Functional gradients of the cerebellum

“…One highly speculative proposal is that the incorporation of visual/vestibular streams of information in lobules IX/X, but not in lobules VI/Crus I/Crus II/VIIB, might be related to the asymmetries we describe between the third and the first/second nonmotor representations. Indeed, some lines of study investigate the link between vestibular function and limbic and cognitive functions including visuospatial reasoning ( Hitier et al, 2014 ; Bigelow and Agrawal, 2015 ; Rajagopalan et al, 2017 ). The notion that asymmetry between nonmotor representations may arise from heterogeneity in cerebellar patterns of connectivity, rather than cytoarchitecture or physiology, is in accord with the notion of a Universal Cerebellar Transform ( Schmahmann, 1996 , Schmahmann, 1991 ; Guell et al, 2018b ).…”

Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART)-induced hippocampal disorders: Highlights on therapeutic potential of Naringenin and Quercetin

“…The resultant delay in initial spatial reversal and probe tests in cART-treated animals concurs with numerous studies supporting the hypothesis that oxidative stress could culminate in dementia and other memory loss diseases ( Halliwell, 2006 ; García-Mesa et al, 2015 ). Furthermore, the inhibition of dopamine in the hippocampus would inhibit synapses and transfer of excitatory information from the entorhinal cortex to the limbic system thereby resulting in memory impairments ( Rajagopalan et al, 2017 ; Dickerson, 2017 ). Moreover, the numerous necrotic cells seen in the dentate gyrus and the Cornus ammonis region of the hippocampus of animals treated with cART is in sync with the outcomes of the neurobehavioural studies.…”

Isopropyl Caffeate: A Caffeic Acid Derivative—Antioxidant Potential and Toxicity

“…The test result from the central nervous system for this substance is contrary to the theoretical admetSAR software results, which predicted that isopropyl caffeate should not pass the blood-brain barrier. The piloerection observed is a parameter that occurs in rodents as a result of fear, disease, or pharmacological stress [ 53 – 55 ]. In addition to behavioral variations, the toxicity of a compound can be demonstrated by means of changes in animal weight development, reduction in the consumption of water and food, and changes in the excretion of urine and feces [ 56 , 57 ].…”