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Mind

We may finally know which brain cells cause motion sickness

Researchers have identified neurons in mice that influence whether the animals experience motion sickness, which could lead to new ways of preventing the condition in humans

By Grace Wade

25 October 2023

Motion sickness may be driven by neurons in the vestibular system

Denis Belitsky/Shutterstock

Certain neurons in mice appear to govern the animals’ experience of motion sickness. If the same is true for humans, it could lead to new ways of treating the condition.

Motion sickness occurs when your eyes perceive movement differently than your vestibular system, which detects how your body moves through space – whether that is forwards, backwards or side-to-side – and is made up of structures in your inner ear. When your brain receives conflicting information, as it…

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