AIM To investigate the effect of vestibular Coriolis stimulation on cognitive function, autonomic reaction and cardiovascular function by vestibular illusion simulation training system.

METHODS Twenty healthy young subjects received vestibular stimulation as treatment group and no vestibular stimulation as control group. In the vestibular stimulation group, the subjects received vestibular stimulation at 15 r/min for 2 minutes, during which period they rapidly swung heads left or right at the first minute and lowered heads at the second minute. A virtual reality device was used to test the cognitive ability in vestibular stimulation and recorded the changes of cognitive ability, Graybiel Motion Sickness Scale and heart rate variability before, during and after stimulation. In the control group, the subjects underwent the same tests but without vestibular stimulation.

RESULTS Compared with those in the control group, the visual retention test reduced significantly (P<0.05), the HRV high-frequency power (HF) reduced significantly (P<0.05) and the low-frequency power (LF) and LF/HF increased significantly (P<0.05) in vestibular stimulation group. Graybiel Motion Sickness increased significantly (P<0.05), but the correct rate and reaction time of Stroop color and word test did not change significantly in vestibular stimulation group.

CONCLUSION Vestibular Coriolis stimulation enhances sympathetic nerve excitability and decreases visual working memory, but it has little effect on attention and executive ability.