Vestibular influences on the sympathetic nervous system

Abstract

Studies using both electrical and natural stimulation have established that the vestibular system has prominent effects on sympathetic outflow and blood pressure. Preliminary evidence suggests that receptors in both otolith organs and semicircular canals are involved in producing these effects. Furthermore, vestibulosympathetic reflexes appear to be mediated by the medial vestibular nucleus and slowly conducting projections from the rostral ventrolateral medulla and caudal medullary raphe nuclei to preganglionic neurons in the thoracic spinal cord. However, many details are missing from our knowledge and understanding of the functional significance and neural substrate of vestibular influences on the sympathetic nervous system.