Despite decades of research, spatial disorientation, which is the incorrect perception of one's orientation relative to gravity, remains one of the leading causes of aviation mishaps. In this mini-review, we highlight the role of the vestibular system towards generating disorientation....
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
No actionable change for audiologists in routine clinical practice — however, vestibular specialists and researchers working on spatial orientation or aviation medicine may find the neuroergonomic framework relevant to their work.
Understanding the neuroergonomic basis of spatial disorientation has indirect relevance to audiology through the vestibular system's central role in spatial orientation, and may inform vestibular rehabilitation and aeromedical audiology research.
- 01Spatial disorientation is identified as a leading cause of aviation mishaps, making it a significant safety and research priority.
- 02The article applies a neuroergonomic lens — combining neuroscience and human factors — to analyze spatial disorientation.
- 03Decades of research on sensory conflict, vestibular (inner-ear balance) system contributions, and cognitive factors are reviewed.
- 04Published in Frontiers in Physiology (DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2026.1912219).
- 05Peripheral relevance to audiology via the vestibular system, but not a clinical audiology study.
Spatial disorientation is a leading cause of aviation mishaps.
studysupported- PMID
- 42656948
- DOI
- 10.3389/fphys.2026.1912219.
- Journal
- Frontiers in Physiology
- Publication type
- review
- Evidence level
- 5
- Population
- Pilots and individuals subject to spatial disorientation scenarios (literature review)
- Intervention
- Neuroergonomic analysis of spatial disorientation
Primary outcomes
Identification of neuroergonomic contributors to spatial disorientation; Review of aviation mishap causation related to spatial disorientation