What does the vestibular system have to do with attention?

Vestibular dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a comorbid feature in ADHD, The vestibular system, which integrates signals from the inner ear via the vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII), plays a critical role in balance, spatial orientation, and sensorimotor integration. Its disruption is linked to cerebellar impairment and disrupted cerebello-thalamo-prefrontal circuits, which are essential for executive function and motor inhibition.

WeVibin learned much of this many years ago as we were studying sleep disorders in children and how sleep and attention/focus are related. As we delved into the workings of the auditory and vestibular nerve from animal studies up through human clinical trials, it became increasing clear that we could improve both sleep and attention AND we could do it in a way that was extremely safe:  by using mechanical stimulation (specific vibrations and specific sounds) to immediately and drastically improve cognitive performance across over 20 different metrics. Equally important, we learned what vibrations and what sounds are NOT healthy and we dialed into what works.  We encourage our readers to be careful about copycat devices and look into the history of other companies.

Over the years, other researchers around the world are now independently proving out what we discovered. We love this as it adds to the body of knowledge and further supports our work. A 2025 study reported that individuals at high risk for ADHD showed bilateral posterior vHIT abnormalities, indicating vestibular hypofunction. These deficits were linked to cerebellar impairment and disrupted cerebello-thalamo-prefrontal circuits.  A 2014 study demonstrated that vestibular stimulation significantly improved auditory comprehension in children with ADHD, as measured by the IVA CPT. This suggests a functional link between vestibular input and attentional control via dopaminergic modulation of the limbic system. The Neurologic Wellness Institute reports that vestibular rehabilitation improves attention, focus, and auditory processing in ADHD. This is attributed to the vestibular system’s influence on dopamine regulation and its anatomical connections to the cerebellum, basal ganglia, and prefrontal cortex.

All of these research studies and many more are helping us understand what effects brain functioning more broadly. It makes sense that our sensory inputs, which are so tightly tied to, and actually drive our flight-or-fight response, would be fundamental influences/ modulators on the networks that wire our brain for focus and attention.  Bringing these feedback loops into balance is what we do. It’s why you will immediately feel the effects without drugs. Don’t be surprised if you breathe deeply with relief.