Galvanic vestibular stimulation activates the parietal and temporal cortex in humans: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) study.

Galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) helps stabilize subjects when balance and posture are compromised. This work aimed to define the cortical regions that GVS activates in normal subjects. We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to test the hypothesis that GVS activates similar cortical areas as a passive movement. We used transcranial current stimulation (cathode in the right mastoid process and anode in the FPz frontopolar point) of bipolar direct current (2 mA), false GVS (sham), vibration (neutral stimulus), and back and forth motion (positive control of vestibular movement) in 18 clinically healthy volunteers. Seventy-two brain scans were performed, applying a crossover-type experimental design. We measured the heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, head capacitance, and resistance before and after the experiment. The haemodynamic changes of the cerebral cortex were recorded with an arrangement of 26 channels in four regions to perform an ROI-level analysis. The back-and-forth motion produced the most significant oxygenated haemoglobin (HbO 2 ) increase. The response was similar for the GVS stimulus on the anterior and posterior parietal and right temporal regions. Sham and vibrational conditions did not produce significant changes ROI-wise. The results indicate that GVS produces a cortical activation coherent with displacement percept.