Understanding how the brain processes balance and movement signals
Official title: Multisensory integration and self-motion perception in primate vestibular cortex
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-10907519 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the brain helps us understand our movement and balance by mixing signals from our senses, and it’s aimed at helping people who have issues with balance or movement perception.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | August 16, 2023 |
| Project end | August 15, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $78,828 |
| NIH project number | 5F32MH134455-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10907519 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation or benefit from this research would include individuals with vestibular disorders or balance impairments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with stable vestibular function and no history of balance issues may not receive any benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the brain's vestibular system, responsible for balance and spatial orientation, integrates signals from different senses to perceive self-motion. By studying non-human primates, the research focuses on the parieto-insular vestibular cortex (PIVC), which plays a crucial role in combining vestibular, visual, and somatosensory information. The goal is to uncover the neural mechanisms that allow the brain to differentiate between movements that are self-initiated versus those that are passive. This understanding could lead to insights into how balance and movement perception can be affected in various conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of balance disorders and lead to improved treatments for conditions affecting movement perception.
How similar studies have gone: While the integration of sensory information in the vestibular system is a well-studied area, the specific focus on the PIVC and its context-dependent functions is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gomez, Alejandra — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Gomez, Alejandra
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.