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    Journal of Pharmacology and PharmacotherapeuticsNOW IN
    Review

    Vestibular Stimulation as a Modulator of Metabolic Function: Implications for Diabetes Mellitus Management

    Paneer Selvam Pandian1, Selvaraj Vinoth Kumar1, Anupam Biswas1, Usha Kumari1,2, Subramani Parasuraman3★★ Corresponding author

    1. 1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah, Malaysia.
    2. 2Current affiliation: Department of Physiology, Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangaluru, India.
    3. 3Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Basic Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah, Malaysia.

    CORRESPONDENCE

    Subramani Parasuraman

    Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Basic Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah, Malaysia.

    parasuphd@gmail.com

    Received: 24-10-2025; Revised: 05-03-2026; Accepted: 04-06-2026.

    Volume 17, Issue 4 · pp. 499–506 · PUBLISHED 2026 · DOI: 10.1177/0976500X261463370

    View on J Pharmacol. Pharmacother. original site ↗

    ABSTRACT

    Metabolic disorders, including diabetes mellitus and obesity, continue to pose a major public health challenge. Diabetes is a disorder of glucose metabolism that can be associated with vestibular dysfunction. Traditionally, vestibular stimulation (VS) is used to reduce motion sickness and enhance balance and coordination. Recent studies show that the benefits of VS may extend beyond motor and sensory functions to include significant effects on metabolic health. VS may improve metabolic health by enhancing insulin sensitivity, reducing cortisol levels, and increasing heart rate variability by increasing parasympathetic dominance and decreasing sympathetic tone. This may be helpful for patients suffering from metabolic disorders. VS is connected to the brainstem, hypothalamus, and cortex. It aids in metabolic control by stimulating insulin secretion through activation of the vagus nerve, a visceral nerve that supplies the pancreas. VS may improve metabolic homeostasis by modulating hypothalamic pathways and interacting with hypothalamic centers involved in the regulation of food intake and body weight. Despite these promising findings, the precise neural and physiological mechanisms linking vestibular function to metabolic health remain poorly understood, and systematic research in this area is limited. The purpose of this review is to summarize the relationship between VS and metabolic regulation, identify gaps in existing knowledge, and explore its potential as a novel non-pharmacological intervention for metabolic disorders.

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      Pandian, P. S., Kumar, S. V., Biswas, A., Kumari, U., & Parasuraman, S. (2026). Vestibular Stimulation as a Modulator of Metabolic Function: Implications for Diabetes Mellitus Management. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, 17(4), 499–506. https://doi.org/10.1177/0976500X261463370