Interaction Between the Hypothalamic—Pituitary—Adrenal Axis and Behavioural Compensation Following Unilateral Vestibular Deafferentation

Abstract

Vestibular compensation is defined as the process of behavioural recovery that occurs following the loss of sensory input from one or both vestibular labyrinths. The visual and postural instability resulting from the vestibular damage must alter the homeostasis of the subject; however, very little research has been conducted that investigates the interaction between vestibular compensation and the adaptive stress response of the body, i.e. the hypothalamic—pituitary—adrenal (HPA) axis. The aim of this review is to describe and evaluate the experimental evidence indicating a link between vestibular compensation and the body's response to stress, via the HPA axis.

Key words:

• hypothalamic—pituitary—adrenal axis
• stress vestibular compensation
• unilateral labyrinthectomy
• unilateral vestibular deafferentation