{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T13:43:09Z","timestamp":1786542189456,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":66,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786492800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000038","name":"Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000038","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Physiol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Despite decades of research, spatial disorientation, which is the incorrect perception of one\u2019s orientation relative to gravity, remains one of the leading causes of aviation mishaps. In this mini-review, we highlight the role of the vestibular system towards generating disorientation. Specifically, in the absence of other cues, the brain is incapable of distinguishing between the acceleration caused by a static force such as gravity from that experienced in an accelerating vehicle, which leads to an ambiguity leading to acceleration being wrongly interpreted as tilts. Finally, because vestibular signals interact with autonomic, respiratory, and vascular regulation, we propose multimodal physiological monitoring as a testable research strategy for characterizing unstable self-motion estimation, while emphasizing that percept-specific detection requires controlled labeling and prospective validation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fphys.2026.1912219","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T13:25:31Z","timestamp":1786541131000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Toward a neuroergonomic understanding of spatial disorientation"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Jerome","family":"Carriot","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiology, McGill University","place":["Montreal, QC, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Isabelle","family":"Mackrous","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiology, McGill University","place":["Montreal, QC, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pascale","family":"Brochu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"HOP Technologies, Sherbrooke, Bromont","place":["Montreal, QC, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simon","family":"Corcos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"HOP Technologies, Sherbrooke, Bromont","place":["Montreal, QC, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marc-Antoine","family":"Pelletier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"HOP Technologies, Sherbrooke, Bromont","place":["Montreal, QC, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maurice J.","family":"Chacron","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiology, McGill University","place":["Montreal, QC, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"316","DOI":"10.1523\/jneurosci.19-01-00316.1999","article-title":"Computation of inertial motion: neural strategies to resolve ambiguous otolith information","volume":"19","author":"Angelaki","year":"1999","journal-title":"J. Neurosci."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1007\/bf02291386","article-title":"Autonomic response to real versus illusory motion (vection)","volume":"10","author":"Aoki","year":"2000","journal-title":"Clin. Auton. Res."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2732","DOI":"10.1093\/brain\/awh617","article-title":"Vestibular loss causes hippocampal atrophy and impaired spatial memory in humans","volume":"128","author":"Brandt","year":"2005","journal-title":"Brain"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"158","DOI":"10.1007\/s00221-006-0434-6","article-title":"Difference in the perception of the horizon during true and simulated tilt in the absence of semicircular canal cues","volume":"174","author":"Carriot","year":"2006","journal-title":"Exp. Brain Res."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1044","DOI":"10.3758\/bf03193630","article-title":"Effect of low gravitational stimulation on the perception of target elevation: role of spatial expertise","volume":"67","author":"Carriot","year":"2005","journal-title":"Percept. Psychophys"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"423","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neucli.2008.09.003","article-title":"Vertical frames of reference and control of body orientation","volume":"38","author":"Carriot","year":"2008","journal-title":"Neurophysiol. Clin."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8347","DOI":"10.1523\/jneurosci.0692-14.2014","article-title":"Statistics of the vestibular input experienced during natural self-motion: implications for neural processing","volume":"34","author":"Carriot","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Neurosci."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2751","DOI":"10.1113\/jp273734","article-title":"The statistics of the vestibular input experienced during natural self-motion differ between rodents and primates","volume":"595","author":"Carriot","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Physiol."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0178664","article-title":"Envelope statistics of self-motion signals experienced by human subjects during everyday activities: Implications for vestibular processing","volume":"12","author":"Carriot","year":"2017","journal-title":"PloS One"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.aee8327","article-title":"Distributed burst firing mediates optimized cortical encoding of natural self-motion","volume":"12","author":"Carriot","year":"2026","journal-title":"Sci. Adv."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2612","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-022-30348-x","article-title":"Sensory adaptation mediates efficient and unambiguous encoding of natural stimuli by vestibular thalamocortical pathways","volume":"13","author":"Carriot","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"B12","first-page":"657","article-title":"Physiological and behavioral responses to an exposure of pitch illusion in the simulator","volume":"75","author":"Cheung","year":"2004","journal-title":"Aviat. Space Environ. Med."},{"key":"B13","first-page":"92","article-title":"Linear acceleration and deceleration as factors influencing non-visual orientation during flight","volume":"20","author":"Clark","year":"1949","journal-title":"J. Aviat. Med."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"373","DOI":"10.3109\/00016486809120978","article-title":"Influence of contact cues on the perception of the oculogravic illusion","volume":"65","author":"Clark","year":"1968","journal-title":"Acta Otolaryngol."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.4274\/tao.2021.2021-3-3","article-title":"Vestibular illusions and alterations in aerospace environment","volume":"59","author":"Demir","year":"2021","journal-title":"Turk. Arch. Otorhinolaryngol."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.3233\/ves-1997-7502","article-title":"Combined influences of gravitoinertial force level and visual field pitch on visually perceived eye level","volume":"7","author":"DiZio","year":"1997","journal-title":"J. Vestib Res."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1161\/01.res.40.4.9","article-title":"Role of the cerebellum and the vestibular apparatus in regulation of orthostatic reflexes in the cat","volume":"34","author":"Doba","year":"1974","journal-title":"Circ. Res."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"978","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.1972.35.6.978","article-title":"Response to static tilts of peripheral neurons innervating otolith organs of the squirrel monkey","volume":"35","author":"Fernandez","year":"1972","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1682","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-025-85219-4","article-title":"Reduction in EEG theta power as a potential marker for spatial disorientation during flight","volume":"15","author":"Geva","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"717","DOI":"10.3357\/asem.3048.2011","article-title":"Spatial disorientation: decades of pilot fatalities","volume":"82","author":"Gibb","year":"2011","journal-title":"Aviat. Space Environ. Med."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"197","DOI":"10.1007\/s00221-009-2054-4","article-title":"Internal models and neural computation in the vestibular system","volume":"200","author":"Green","year":"2010","journal-title":"Exp. Brain Res."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"905","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.01234.2003","article-title":"An integrative neural network for detecting inertial motion and head orientation","volume":"92","author":"Green","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"150","DOI":"10.2307\/1420017","article-title":"A critical note on the use of the human centrifuge","volume":"76","author":"Howard","year":"1963","journal-title":"Am. J. Psychol."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neulet.2011.03.052","article-title":"Role of the vestibular system in the arterial pressure response to parabolic-flight-induced gravitational changes in human subjects","volume":"495","author":"Iwata","year":"2011","journal-title":"Neurosci. Lett."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/elife.45573","article-title":"Coding strategies in the otolith system differ for translational head motion vs. static orientation relative to gravity","volume":"8","author":"Jamali","year":"2019","journal-title":"Elife"},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1016\/s0304-3940(00)01731-6","article-title":"Respiratory responses of normal and vestibular defective human subjects to rotation in the yaw and pitch planes","volume":"298","author":"Jauregui-Renaud","year":"2001","journal-title":"Neurosci. Lett."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1016\/s0361-9230(00)00304-x","article-title":"Effects of caloric stimulation on respiratory frequency and heart rate and blood pressure variability","volume":"53","author":"Jauregui-Renaud","year":"2000","journal-title":"Brain Res. Bull."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tics.2006.05.003","article-title":"Bayesian decision theory in sensorimotor control","volume":"10","author":"Kording","year":"2006","journal-title":"Trends Cognit. Sci."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fnhum.2016.00139","article-title":"Beyond dizziness: Virtual navigation, spatial anxiety and hippocampal volume in bilateral vestibulopathy","volume":"10","author":"Kremmyda","year":"2016","journal-title":"Front. Hum. Neurosci."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4191","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-023-31431-z","article-title":"Both whole-body rotation and visual flow induce cardiovascular autonomic response in human, but visual response is overridden by vestibular stimulation","volume":"13","author":"Kuldavletova","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1904","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-019-09738-1","article-title":"Neural substrates, dynamics and thresholds of galvanic vestibular stimulation in the behaving primate","volume":"10","author":"Kwan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3232","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1915873117","article-title":"Simple spike dynamics of Purkinje cells in the macaque vestibulo-cerebellum during passive whole-body self-motion","volume":"117","author":"Laurens","year":"2020","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"405","DOI":"10.1007\/s00422-006-0133-1","article-title":"Bayesian processing of vestibular information","volume":"96","author":"Laurens","year":"2007","journal-title":"Biol. Cybern."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1508","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2013.09.029","article-title":"Neural representation of orientation relative to gravity in the macaque cerebellum","volume":"80","author":"Laurens","year":"2013","journal-title":"Neuron"},{"key":"B35","volume-title":"Grundlinien Der Lehre Von Den Bewegungsempfind-Ungen","author":"Mach","year":"1875"},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/elife.57484","article-title":"Neural variability determines coding strategies for natural self-motion in macaque monkeys","volume":"9","author":"Mackrous","year":"2020","journal-title":"Elife"},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2698","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cub.2019.07.006","article-title":"Cerebellar prediction of the dynamic sensory consequences of gravity","volume":"29","author":"Mackrous","year":"2019","journal-title":"Curr. Biol."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.1007\/s00221-006-0792-0","article-title":"A Bayesian model of the disambiguation of gravitoinertial force by visual cues","volume":"179","author":"MacNeilage","year":"2007","journal-title":"Exp. Brain Res."},{"key":"B39","first-page":"493","article-title":"A systems concept of the vestibular organs","volume-title":"Handbook of Sensory Physiology, Vol. VI\/2: Vestibular System, Part 2","author":"Mayne","year":"1974"},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2823","DOI":"10.1162\/089976600300014746","article-title":"Analysis of pointing errors reveals properties of data representations and coordinate transformations within the central nervous system","volume":"12","author":"McIntyre","year":"2000","journal-title":"Neural Comput."},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"186","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.00904.2004","article-title":"Vestibular perception and action employ qualitatively different mechanisms. I. Frequency response of VOR and perceptual responses during translation and tilt","volume":"94","author":"Merfeld","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1648","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.2001.85.4.1648","article-title":"Neural processing of gravito-inertial cues in humans. II. Influence of the semicircular canals during eccentric rotation","volume":"85","author":"Merfeld","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"430","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1749-6632.1999.tb09211.x","article-title":"A simple model of vestibular canal-otolith signal fusion","volume":"871","author":"Mergner","year":"1999","journal-title":"Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci."},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/elife.43019","article-title":"Neuronal variability and tuning are balanced to optimize naturalistic self-motion coding in primate vestibular pathways","volume":"7","author":"Mitchell","year":"2018","journal-title":"Elife"},{"key":"B45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pbio.3002623","article-title":"Neural populations within macaque early vestibular pathways are adapted to encode natural self-motion","volume":"22","author":"Mohammadi","year":"2024","journal-title":"PloS Biol."},{"key":"B46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1183","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.1991.65.5.1183","article-title":"Eye movement responses to linear head motion in the squirrel monkey. II. Visual-vestibular interactions and kinematic considerations","volume":"65","author":"Paige","year":"1991","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"B47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"486","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.01163.2005","article-title":"Roll rotation cues influence roll tilt perception assayed using a somatosensory technique","volume":"96","author":"Park","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"B48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.3233\/ves-2006-164-509","article-title":"The assessment of increased sensitivity to visual stimuli in patients with chronic dizziness","volume":"16","author":"Pavlou","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Vestib Res."},{"key":"B49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.31083\/jin45042","article-title":"Galvanic vestibular stimulation and its effects on sympathetic nervous system activation","volume":"24","author":"Pliego","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Integr. Neurosci."},{"key":"B50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"919","DOI":"10.3357\/asem.3971.2014","article-title":"Spatial disorientation mishap trends in the U.S. Air force 1993-2013","volume":"85","author":"Poisson","year":"2014","journal-title":"Aviat. Space Environ. Med."},{"key":"B51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"736","DOI":"10.1016\/s0140-6736(00)02635-0","article-title":"Evidence for a vestibulo-cardiac reflex in man","volume":"356","author":"Radtke","year":"2000","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"B52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"84","DOI":"10.3357\/amhp.6793.2026","article-title":"Characterizing spatial disorientation in flight simulation through electroencephalogram trends","volume":"97","author":"Rouser","year":"2026","journal-title":"Aerosp. Med. Hum. Perform."},{"key":"B53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5522","DOI":"10.1523\/jneurosci.3841-14.2015","article-title":"The increased sensitivity of irregular peripheral canal and otolith vestibular afferents optimizes their encoding of natural stimuli","volume":"35","author":"Schneider","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Neurosci."},{"key":"B54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apergo.2025.104713","article-title":"Pilot response to somatogravic illusion in a simulated environment: Implications for early instrument flight training","volume":"133","author":"Socha","year":"2026","journal-title":"Appl. Ergon."},{"key":"B55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-031-40524-2_12","article-title":"Diagnostic criteria for persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD): Consensus document of the committee for the classification of vestibular disorders of the Barany Society","volume":"27","author":"Staab","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Vestib Res."},{"key":"B56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.3233\/ves-170619","article-title":"Bilateral vestibulopathy: Diagnostic criteria consensus document of the Classification Committee of the Barany Society","volume":"27","author":"Strupp","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Vestib Res."},{"key":"B57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"87","DOI":"10.3233\/ves-229002","article-title":"Erratum to: Bilateral vestibulopathy: Diagnostic criteria consensus document of the Classification Committee of the Barany Society","volume":"33","author":"Strupp","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Vestib Res."},{"key":"B58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2018.01056","article-title":"Wrist-worn electrodermal activity as a novel neurophysiological biomarker of autonomic symptoms in spatial disorientation","volume":"9","author":"Tamura","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. Neurol."},{"key":"B59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1775","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.1997.78.4.1775","article-title":"Dynamics of squirrel monkey linear vestibuloocular reflex and interactions with fixation distance","volume":"78","author":"Telford","year":"1997","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"B60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1016\/s0361-9230(00)00305-1","article-title":"Transient cardio-respiratory responses to visually induced tilt illusions","volume":"53","author":"Wood","year":"2000","journal-title":"Brain Res. Bull."},{"key":"B61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1007\/bf02454153","article-title":"Pressor response elicited by nose-up vestibular stimulation in cats","volume":"113","author":"Woodring","year":"1997","journal-title":"Exp. Brain Res."},{"key":"B62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1016\/0165-0173(92)90006-8","article-title":"Vestibular influences on the sympathetic nervous system","volume":"17","author":"Yates","year":"1992","journal-title":"Brain Res. Brain Res. Rev."},{"key":"B63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"851","DOI":"10.1002\/j.2040-4603.2014.tb00563.x","article-title":"Vestibulo-sympathetic responses","volume":"4","author":"Yates","year":"2014","journal-title":"Compr. Physiol."},{"key":"B64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2087","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.1994.71.6.2087","article-title":"Properties of sympathetic reflexes elicited by natural vestibular stimulation: implications for cardiovascular control","volume":"71","author":"Yates","year":"1994","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"B65","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.3233\/ves-1998-8103","article-title":"Physiological evidence that the vestibular system participates in autonomic and respiratory control","volume":"8","author":"Yates","year":"1998","journal-title":"J. Vestib Res."},{"key":"B66","first-page":"4487","article-title":"The nervous system uses internal models to achieve sensory integration","author":"Zupan","year":"2004"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Physiology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fphys.2026.1912219\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T13:25:32Z","timestamp":1786541132000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fphys.2026.1912219\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"references-count":66,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fphys.2026.1912219"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fphys.2026.1912219","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-042X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-042X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"article-number":"1912219"}}