Role of dorsal neck proprioceptive inputs to vestibular compensation in humans.

To investigate the role of cervical proprioceptive inputs in the process of vestibular compensation, we performed static posturography in patients with acute and compensated unilateral vestibular dysfunction, by applying vibratory stimulation to the dorsal neck muscles. Neck vibration induced disequilibrium in both groups of patients, but was more pronounced in the compensated patients. These results indicate that manipulation of the neck afferents causes discompensation in subjects whose vestibular dysfunction has already been compensated by multisensory inputs including neck afferents.