What receptors are associated with balance?

Answer 1

there is a nerve within the ear that helps with balance. often when you get seasick this nerve within the ear is thrown off balnce and this is what causes you to be seasick. once on land the nerve regains balance and you dont feel seasick anymore

Answer 2

In the ear, you have got three semicircular canals. To explain about their position you have to first understand the three dimensions in space. If you are sitting in a room. Go to the corner of the room. Here all three walls are connected to each other at right angles. Semicircular canals lie in these three planes. They are connected to each other at Utricle and Saccule. All of them contain some fluid. When the position of the head changes, there is movement of this fluid. This movement is perceived by the hair cells present in Utricle and Saccule.For verticle position you have receptors in Utricle and for horizontal position you have got receptors in Saccule. They send signals to the Vestibular nucleus present in the brain,via the Vestibulocochlear nerve,at the rate of 100/sec to several hundred/seconds.(The eighth cranial nerve.) Then you have got two such apparatuses in your two ears, giving you stereoscopic effect adding to the efficacy of the the orientation of position of your head. All these apparatus lie in the Petrous part of the temporal bone. You have other signals, like position sense sensations from all joints of your body. They add to the efficacy of the system. Then your eyes also provide signals of your position.(Sometimes they momentarily cheat you, when you think your train is moving forward when actually train to the side of you is moving backwards.) So mainly the position and level of the fluid in the semicircular canals added to other sense receptors give you your sense of balance. They all gather at the Vestibular nucleus present in brain.(The size of these semicircular canals is very small. They are only about 2 mm across.)