Neurológia pre prax 4/2025
The evolution of the sense of balance throughout the animal kingdom – from protozoans to humans
This paper provides a brief overview of the phylogenetic evolution of the vestibular labyrinth in multicellular animals. The presence of a sense of balance in the evolutionary lineage from the simplest animals to humans underscores the biological importance of the vestibular system for organismal survival. During evolution, several parallel solutions to the sense of balance have emerged that use the same physical principles. Article focuses on the picture of the evolutionary relationships between the prehistoric ancestors of modern humans.
Keywords: vestibular labyrinth, hair cells, phylogeny, Neanderthal man, modern man
