Role of structural plasticity in the human brain for multisensory compensation following unilateral peripheral vestibular lesion

Peripheral vestibular deafferentation is known to elicit functional brain plasticity which may be related to vestibular compensation. We examined whether and how structural (morphological) changes in the human brain might contribute to central vestibular compensation following peripheral vestibular lesions. We compared structural grey matter changes in patients with a severe unilateral peripheral vestibular lesion with age-matched control subjects. We hypothezised morphometric changes in insular and temporo-parietal multisensory cortices which may be related to functional disability. Subjects were examined with…