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CHECKS AND BALANCES: THE VESTIBULAR APPARATUS OF THE INNER EAR


Checks and balances refers to a mechanism designed to limit power a single individual or body of government and provide for the harmonious interrelationship of the people and all of the organs of government or other social institutions. Checks and balances are intended to allow legitimate power to govern and good ideas to be implemented, while abuse of power, corruption, and oppression are minimized.
The good thing about checks and balances is that they prevent a person from using his/her power to gain something at the expense of another.
The vestibular apparatus, located in the human inner ear is responsible for establishing balance in the human body.
The apparatus has 3 main functions:
1.      Plays a major role in subjective sensation of motion and spatial orientation.
2.      Vestibular input to areas of the nervous system involved in motor control elicits adjustments of muscle activity and body position, allowing maintenance of the upright position.
3.      Those inputs to regions of nervous system controlling eye movements helps in stabilization of the eyes in space during head movement (i.e. focus).  This reduces the movement of the image of a fixed object on the retina.

 The way this system performs its functions is by utilizing the following components:
1.      Semicircular canals- for control of angular acceleration
2.      Utricle and saccule; comprising the otolith organ- for linear acceleration/gravity control
The human being has its conscience as a check and just like the vestibular apparatus; the conscience regulates position, controls ocular (eye) movements, and helps maintain body balance during movement.

















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