What is vection in the context of vestibular-visual testing?

• A. Vection is the illusion of self-motion produced by visual stimuli; demonstrates how visual-vestibular integration affects perception of movement
• B. Vection is the perception of actual physical motion sensed by the vestibular system
• C. Vection is a type of hearing loss
• D. Vection is only observed in MRI studies

Answer: (A)

Vection is the illusion of self-motion produced by visual stimuli. When you see a scene moving around you—like a rotating pattern or flowing optic flow—the brain interprets the visual information as if you are the one moving, even though your body is stationary. This shows how visual inputs and vestibular signals are integrated to form our sense of movement. In vestibular-visual testing, vection demonstrates how strong visual cues can drive perceived motion by interacting with the vestibular system, revealing how the brain resolves motion from multisensory information. It’s not actual physical motion detected by the vestibular organs, and it’s not related to hearing or MRI-specific effects; it’s about vision creating a perceptual sense of motion.