The Influence of Vestibular Disruption on Auditory Localization and Postural Control

This study aims to investigate how disruptions to the vestibular system can affect an individual’s ability to localize sounds and maintain balance. The vestibular system, of which maintains an individual’s sense of balance and spatial awareness, interacts closely with the auditory system; however despite this correlation, current concussion assessments such as the SCAT 6 do not test auditory localization. Purpose: The goal of this study is to determine whether disturbances in vestibular input, induced via Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS), impair auditory localization accuracy and postural control in healthy individuals. By studying this correlation in healthy individuals, confounding factors such as neurological impairment and hearing loss are controlled for, allowing this research to clarify whether the vestibular system directly contributes to an individual's ability to detect spatial sound information.