We examined the expression of the inducible transcription factors Zif268 and c-Fos in the inferior olive during the behavioural recovery following unilateral labyrinthectomy known as vestibular compensation. These transcription factors were differentially induced in the two subnuclei of the inferior olive. In the beta nucleus, c-Fos induction was restricted to the side contralateral to the lesion whereas Zif268 was induced on both the ipsilateral and contralateral side. In the dorsal cap, both proteins were expressed mostly on the contralateral side. In addition to this spatial difference, the expression of Zif268 attenuated faster than that of c-Fos. The present data suggest a functional difference between these two subnuclei of the inferior olive at the level of gene expression in vestibular compensation.