Galvanic vestibular stimulation alters the sense of upright.

ABSTRACT: Given the vestibular system's important role in the perception of upright, we investigated the possible effects of galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) on the perception of one's own upright body orientation in relation to gravity, the so-called 'Subjective Postural Vertical (SPV)'. Two groups of healthy participants with an average age of 25.4 years and 64.5 years respectively, each consisting of 28 healthy participants, sat (blindfolded) on a tilting chair. The subjects' feeling of being upright was tested under three different conditions of GVS: right-sided anodal stimulation, left-sided anodal stimulation, and sham stimulation. Our findings revealed that right-sided anodal GVS significantly altered the SPV in both age groups, whereas left-sided anodal GVS did not. The observed effect

SUBMITTER: Muller-Wohrstein S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12618296 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature