Question
In the course "Identifying Site of Lesion in Different Vestibular Tests," by Dr. Kamran Barin, several test questions offered possible answers of both "...semicircular canals or their afferent pathways" and "central pathways." Couldn't afferent pathways and central pathways both be construed as the same thing?Answer
The vestibular pathways consist of three distinct parts: The labyrinth, the afferent part of the vestibular nerve that travels from the labyrinth to the root entry zone of the brain stem, and finally everything else that resides within the brain stem and beyond. The afferent pathway refers to the vestibular nerve and is considered to be a part of the peripheral vestibular system. The central pathway refers to the structures within the central nervous system. So, they are not the same.
Kamran Barin, Ph.D. is the Director of Balance Disorders Clinic at the Ohio State University Medical Center and Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Speech and Hearing Science, and Biomedical Engineering Program. He received his Master's and Doctorate degrees in Electrical/Biomedical Engineering from the Ohio State University. He has taught national and international courses and seminars in different areas of vestibular assessment and rehabilitation.