Which part of the vestibular system detects angular accelerations and is responsible for somatogyral illusions?

The semicircular canals are the components of the vestibular system responsible for detecting angular accelerations. These structures are oriented in three planes, which allows them to sense rotational movements of the head. When the head turns, fluid within the semicircular canals moves, causing the hair cells to bend and send signals to the brain about the direction and speed of the rotation.

Somatogyral illusions occur when there is a mismatch between the sensory inputs from the vestibular system and other systems, such as vision or proprioception. This disparity can lead to sensations of spinning or moving when the person feels still, commonly experienced during rapid head movements or in certain flight conditions. Since the semicircular canals specifically address these types of movements, they play a critical role in the perception of orientation and motion, leading to the occurrence of somatogyral illusions when the brain interprets conflicting signals.

The other parts listed, such as the otolith organs, sensory cortex, and pontine nuclei, influence balance and spatial orientation but are not primarily involved in the detection of angular accelerations or in generating somatogyral illusions. The otolith organs detect linear accelerations rather than angular changes, while the sensory cortex processes and interprets sensory information, and