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Vestibular and auditory disorders
Research Guide
What is Vestibular and auditory disorders?
Vestibular and auditory disorders are medical conditions affecting the inner ear's vestibular system responsible for balance and spatial orientation and the auditory system responsible for hearing.
The field encompasses 100,800 works with growth data unavailable over the past 5 years. Research integrates neurophysiological mechanisms of eye movements, cerebellar contributions to motor control, and brain stimulation techniques relevant to vestibular and auditory functions. Recent preprints examine neurodegeneration in hearing loss with vestibular dysfunction and prognostic tests like video head impulse test in sudden sensorineural hearing loss with vertigo.
Research Sub-Topics
Vestibular Neuritis
Vestibular neuritis involves acute unilateral vestibular loss typically due to viral inflammation of the vestibular nerve. Researchers study its clinical diagnosis, recovery mechanisms involving central compensation, and therapeutic interventions like vestibular rehabilitation.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is characterized by brief vertigo episodes triggered by head position changes due to canalithiasis. Researchers investigate particle repositioning maneuvers, recurrence prevention, and atypical variants like cupulolithiasis.
Meniere's Disease
Meniere's disease features recurrent vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness linked to endolymphatic hydrops. Researchers explore hydrops pathophysiology, pharmacological management, and surgical options like endolymphatic sac decompression.
Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome
Superior canal dehiscence syndrome arises from a bony defect over the superior semicircular canal causing sound/pressure-induced vertigo. Researchers focus on high-resolution imaging diagnosis, surgical repair techniques, and symptom correlation with dehiscence size.
Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder
Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder disrupts auditory nerve function despite intact cochlear hair cells, leading to poor speech perception. Researchers examine electrophysiological markers like ABR, genetic etiologies, and cochlear implant outcomes.
Why It Matters
Vestibular and auditory disorders impact balance, hearing, and quality of life, with applications in diagnostics and therapies highlighted in recent developments. Sound Pharmaceuticals received FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for SPI-1005 to treat hearing loss (2025-12-01). Eli Lilly partnered with Seamless Therapeutics in a collaboration up to $1.12B to develop gene-editing therapies for hearing loss using programmable recombinases (2026-01-28). Preprints identify phenotypes for bilateral vestibulopathy implant candidacy and differentiate Menière’s disease from vestibular migraine using video head impulse test and caloric test. A new medical device aids diagnosis of vestibular issues in infants (2026-01-26). These advances support clinical differentiation, prognosis in sudden sensorineural hearing loss with vertigo, and emerging pharmacological and genetic interventions.
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"The Neurology of Eye Movements" by Richard Leigh and David S. Zee (2015) provides a foundational synthesis of eye movement neurophysiology essential for understanding vestibular disorders, with 3741 citations.
Key Papers Explained
"The Neurology of Eye Movements" by Leigh and Zee (2015) establishes neurophysiological substrates for gaze control relevant to vestibular function. "A theory of cerebellar cortex" by Marr (1969) and "A theory of cerebellar function" by Albus (1971) connect cerebellar mechanisms to motor learning for balance. "The cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome" by Schmahmann (1998) extends cerebellar roles to higher functions impacting vestibular processing. "Safety, ethical considerations, and application guidelines for the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation in clinical practice and research" by Rossi et al. (2009) guides neuromodulation applications building on these foundations.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Recent preprints focus on neurodegeneration in hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction (2025), bilateral vestibulopathy implant phenotypes (2026), and vHIT prognosis in SSNHL-V (2026). News highlights FDA Breakthrough for SPI-1005 (2025), Lilly-Seamless gene-editing deal up to $1.12B (2026), and infant vestibular diagnostic devices (2026).
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Safety, ethical considerations, and application guidelines for... | 2009 | Clinical Neurophysiology | 5.3K | ✓ |
| 2 | The Neurology of Eye Movements | 2015 | Oxford University Pres... | 3.7K | ✕ |
| 3 | A theory of cerebellar cortex | 1969 | The Journal of Physiology | 3.3K | ✓ |
| 4 | The cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome | 1998 | Brain | 3.1K | ✓ |
| 5 | Corticocortical inhibition in human motor cortex. | 1993 | The Journal of Physiology | 3.1K | ✓ |
| 6 | Transcranial direct current stimulation: State of the art 2008 | 2008 | Brain stimulation | 3.0K | ✓ |
| 7 | Simple memory: a theory for archicortex | 1971 | Philosophical transact... | 2.8K | ✕ |
| 8 | Internal models for motor control and trajectory planning | 1999 | Current Opinion in Neu... | 2.7K | ✕ |
| 9 | A theory of cerebellar function | 1971 | Mathematical Biosciences | 2.6K | ✕ |
| 10 | Internal models in the cerebellum | 1998 | Trends in Cognitive Sc... | 2.5K | ✕ |
In the News
Sound Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Breakthrough ...
SEATTLE–( BUSINESS WIRE )–Sound Pharmaceuticals (SPI) is pleased to announce that the FDA has granted its investigational new drug, SPI-1005, Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) for the treatmen...
Meet the 2026 Emerging Research Grants Scientists
Our ERG program continues to be the leading seed funding opportunity for hearing and balance researchers. The Elizabeth M. Keithley, Ph.D. Early Stage Investigator Awards honor the impact of our fo...
An innovative approach to hearing loss: John Oghalai, MD ...
on “OCT Imaging of the Human Inner Ear,” which he hopes will bring researchers and clinicians one step closer to a better understanding of how the cochlea works – a snail-shaped, fluid-filled organ...
A new medical device could help diagnose infants with ...
# A new medical device could help diagnose infants with vestibular issues January 26, 2026
Lilly, Seamless Ink Up-to-$1.12B Hearing Loss Collaboration
Eli Lilly plans to expand its hearing loss therapy pipeline by collaborating with Seamless Therapeutics to apply the company’s next-generation gene-editing approach, based on programmable recombina...
Code & Tools
- : This document describes visual patterns that can induce physical symptoms in people who have photosensitive epilepsy, vestibular disorders, or ...
# Search code, repositories, users, issues, pull requests... Search Clear Search syntax tips # Provide feedback We read every piece of feedba...
# Search code, repositories, users, issues, pull requests... Search Clear Search syntax tips # Provide feedback We read every piece of feedba...
The Binaural Rendering Toolbox (BRT) is a set of software libraries, applications, and definitions aimed as a virtual laboratory for psychoacoustic...
| | requirements.txt | requirements.txt | | | View all files | ## Repository files navigation # vestibular-vr Closed-loop VR setup for Rancz ...
Recent Preprints
The Role of Neurodegeneration in Hearing Loss and ...
**Keywords:** Hearing loss, Neurodegeneration, Auditory dysfunction, Vestibular dysfunction, Sensory decline, Demyelination, Biomarkers, Neuroinflammation, Neuroplasticity, Mitochondrial dysfunction
Decoding the bilateral vestibulopathy spectrum: etiology-based phenotypes, clinical profiles and pathways to implant candidacy
present study therefore aims firstly, to characterize BVP heterogeneity by etiology across vestibular, auditory, and clinical dimensions; secondly, to describe the functional profiles of patients p...
Prognostic value of the video head impulse test in sudden sensorineural hearing loss with vertigo: a systematic review and meta-analysis
and in-depth study across various vestibular disorders. This systematic review examines the performance of the vHIT in assessing patients with SSNHL-V and explores the correlation between vHIT find...
Comparative Study Between the Auditory and Vestibular ...
specific correlation exists between them. Thus, for therapy planning and diagnosis, both tests are necessary.
Vestibular function tests are helpful in differentiating between Menière’s disease and vestibular migraine
auditory and vestibular symptoms and functions in MD and VM, and to assess the diagnostic value of the video head impulse test (vHIT) and caloric test.
Latest Developments
Recent developments in vestibular and auditory disorders research include ongoing clinical trials and innovative studies, such as a pilot study demonstrating that otolithic vestibular stimulation can enhance balance and auditory function in bilateral vestibulopathy (frontiersin.org, 2025), and a new study highlighting the role of sound in balance disruptions for individuals with vestibular disorders (hearinghealthmatters.org, 2025). Additionally, the American Hearing Research Foundation funded 16 new projects totaling nearly $840,000 in 2026, and a recent article decodes the spectrum of bilateral vestibulopathy, focusing on etiology-based phenotypes and pathways to implant candidacy (frontiersin.org, 2026). The field also continues to explore the impact of auditory stimuli on postural stability, especially in individuals with vestibular hypofunction, using virtual reality environments (hearinghealthmatters.org, 2025). As of early 2026, these studies reflect active advancements in understanding and treating vestibular and auditory disorders (frontiersin.org, hearinghealthmatters.org).
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
What role does the cerebellum play in vestibular and auditory disorders?
Jeremy D. Schmahmann (1998) described the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome from cases showing cerebellum's participation in higher-order functions relevant to vestibular processing. David Marr (1969) proposed a theory of cerebellar cortex for learning motor skills, applicable to balance control. James S. Albus (1971) advanced a theory of cerebellar function tied to motor learning in vestibular contexts.
How is transcranial magnetic stimulation applied in vestibular and auditory disorders?
Símone Rossi et al. (2009) outlined safety, ethical considerations, and application guidelines for transcranial magnetic stimulation in clinical practice and research, informing neuromodulation for vestibular symptoms. Takashi Kujirai et al. (1993) demonstrated corticocortical inhibition in human motor cortex using subthreshold stimuli, relevant to vestibular-motor interactions.
What is the current state of vestibular implant candidacy?
"Decoding the bilateral vestibulopathy spectrum: etiology-based phenotypes, clinical profiles and pathways to implant candidacy" (2026) characterizes heterogeneity across vestibular and auditory dimensions to identify patients eligible for vestibular or cochleo-vestibular implantation. It assesses functional profiles and determinants of oscillopsia.
How does video head impulse test aid diagnosis in auditory-vestibular conditions?
"Prognostic value of the video head impulse test in sudden sensorineural hearing loss with vertigo: a systematic review and meta-analysis" (2026) examines vHIT performance in SSNHL-V and its correlation with audiological prognosis. "Vestibular function tests are helpful in differentiating between Menière’s disease and vestibular migraine" (2025) assesses vHIT and caloric test diagnostic value for auditory and vestibular symptoms.
What neurological basis underlies eye movements in vestibular disorders?
Richard Leigh and David S. Zee (2015) synthesized anatomical, physiological, and pharmacological substrates for eye movements, including reflexive and voluntary gaze control based on macaque studies, central to vestibular function.
What therapies are emerging for hearing loss linked to vestibular issues?
Sound Pharmaceuticals' SPI-1005 received FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for hearing loss treatment (2025). Lilly's up-to-$1.12B collaboration with Seamless Therapeutics targets hearing loss via gene-editing with programmable recombinases (2026).
Open Research Questions
- ? How does neurodegeneration contribute to concurrent hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction, including roles of demyelination, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction?
- ? What etiology-based phenotypes best predict implant candidacy in bilateral vestibulopathy across vestibular, auditory, and clinical profiles?
- ? Which determinants most influence oscillopsia severity in bilateral vestibulopathy?
- ? How accurately does video head impulse test predict audiological prognosis in sudden sensorineural hearing loss with vertigo?
- ? What specific vestibular function tests most effectively differentiate Menière’s disease from vestibular migraine?
Recent Trends
Preprints from the last 6 months emphasize neurodegeneration's role in hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction , etiology-based phenotypes for bilateral vestibulopathy implant candidacy (2026), and video head impulse test's prognostic value in sudden sensorineural hearing loss with vertigo (2026).
2025News reports FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Sound Pharmaceuticals' SPI-1005 in hearing loss and Eli Lilly's up-to-$1.12B collaboration with Seamless Therapeutics on gene-editing for hearing loss (2026-01-28).
2025-12-01Devices for infant vestibular diagnosis emerged .
2026-01-26Research Vestibular and auditory disorders with AI
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