Balance / Vestibular reflexes / Vestibulospinal
Vestibulospinal reflexes
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PURPOSE: coordinate head and neck movement with the trunk and body, with the goal of maintaining the head in an upright position
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can act in synergy or opposition to neck muscle stretch reflexes which work to keep the neck upright
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two systems that have distinctly different pathways and functions:
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LATERAL VESTIBULOSPINAL: postural changes to compensate for tilts and movements of the body
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MEDIAL VESTIBULOSPINAL: stabilizes head position during walking
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