Survival of function in the deafferentated vestibular nerve. 
After it has been deafferentated, spontaneous spike activity in the vestibular nerve is not abolished, but is drastically reduced 1-3 months post-op.  If the nerve stump is cut again in the compensated animal, similarly directed postural asymmetries are re-induced, although of milder intensity.  Electrical stimulation of the vestibular nerve stump evokes monosynaptic excitation in the vestibular nuclei and a vestibulo-ocular reflex at normal thresholds despite partial degeneration in the nerve.  Therefore, the deafferentated nerve is capable of exerting compensatory influences upon the central nervous system.