Final answer:
Impulses from the maculae of the vestibule travel through the vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII) to the cochlear nucleus in the medulla, and then to other parts of the brain for processing equilibrium information.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nerve impulses arising from the maculae of the vestibule ultimately travel through the vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII) to reach the brain for higher processing. The maculae, located in the utricle and saccule of the vestibular labyrinth, contain hair cells whose stereocilia extend into the otolithic membrane. When head movements cause the otolithic membrane to move, it bends the stereocilia, leading to the depolarization of some hair cells while others hyperpolarize.
The nerve impulses generated in this process are then transmitted through bipolar neurons to the cochlear nucleus in the medulla. From there, the vestibular signals are sent to various parts of the brain, including the cerebellum for coordinated movements, the thalamus, and cortical areas such as the somatosensory cortex, thereby influencing the perception of balance and orientation. Connections to the cerebellum are important for coordinated movements. There are also projections to the temporal cortex, responsible for sensations such as dizziness, projections to autonomic nervous system areas in the brainstem, which relate to motion sickness, and projections that monitor subjective measurements of the external world and self-movement. Furthermore, vestibular signals help to coordinate eye and head movements through the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR).