Mechanism of Change
Vestibular impact on complex motor sequences, learning, and spatial cognition
Vestibular sensations mediate cognitive performance through myelination and neural connections between main memory centers (hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, frontal cortex, and cerebellum) and vestibulo-cortical tracts to develop processes for object recognition, body schema, inner speech, attention, impulse control, and a variety of mental activities including attributes of a theory of mind and executive function (Besnard, et al., 2018, Hitier et al., 2014; Kashfi et al., 2019; Lopez et al., 2020; Mast et al., 2014; Melo et al., 2019; Moossavi & Jafari, 2019; Schoen, et al., 2019; Watling & Hauer, 2015; Andelin, 2019; Lotfi et al., 2017; Matuszkiewicz & Gałkowski, 2021; Sadeghi et al., 2019) to support learning and communication in developing children who otherwise have failed to register adequate vestibular sensation.
In addition to promoting neural efficiency through myelination, patial cognition develops through vestibular modulation of information being processed in a specific spatial order, providing mental imagery, numeracy, navigation, and sequencing (Mast et al, 2014; Besnard, et al, 2016; Hitier et al., 2014). Posture, movement experiences, and perception, collectively referred to as “embodiment” (Lopez 2020), are supported by the vestibular system and provide a foundation through a sense of self (Besnard, et al., 2016; Lopez, et al., 2020) from which to navigate and engage with the environment and people and objects within it (Moossavi & Jafari 2019; Lopez, 2020). The capacity for sustained, self-directed engagement increases through the maturation of vestibular foundations and perceptual motor function, giving rise to focused attention, regulation, inhibition, and motor skill development (Kashfi et al., 2019; Mast et al., 2021; Lotfi et al., 2014; Lotfi et al., 2016).
