What part of the vestibular system is responsible for causing somatogyral illusions?

The semicircular canals are a crucial component of the vestibular system that are specifically responsible for detecting rotational movements of the head. These structures contain fluid and sensory hair cells that respond to changes in head position and movement. When the head rotates, the fluid within the canals moves, causing the hair cells to bend. This bending is what sends signals to the brain about the direction and speed of the rotation.

Somatogyral illusions occur when there is a mismatch between the vestibular inputs and the other sensory systems, primarily visual and proprioceptive inputs. Because the semicircular canals are directly involved in sensing these rotational movements, they play a central role in the development of these illusory sensations. For example, if a person spins and then quickly stops, the fluid continues to move for a brief moment, leading the person to feel as though they are still spinning even when they are not. This can create confusion about their actual position in space, illustrating how the semicircular canals are involved in somatogyral illusions.

Other options listed do not directly influence these specific types of sensory illusions. The cochlea is primarily concerned with hearing, the auditory nerve transmits sound information, and the vestibular nuclei act as integrative centers that process vestib