Subjective visual vertical in pitch and roll in right hemispheric stroke.
OBJECTIVE
Patients with right hemispheric stroke usually present an anticlockwise deviation of the subjective visual vertical (SVV) in the frontal (roll) plane. However, the occurrence of a similar disorder in the sagittal (pitch) plane has never been assessed. We investigated the subjective visual vertical in both planes in those patients.


METHODS
Eight patients, 4 with spatial neglect (N+) and 4 without neglect (N-), were compared with 4 healthy participants (C). They sat facing a luminous bar adjustable in rotation, either in the roll or in the pitch plane, and had to orient it in a vertical position, in the dark.


RESULTS
Compared with N- (-0.1 degrees) and C (+1.1 degrees) groups, N+ patients presented with a significant backward deviation (-4.5 degrees) of the SVV in pitch. In accordance with other studies, they also showed a significant anticlockwise deviation (-8.8 degrees) of the SVV in roll, as compared with N- (-1.9 degrees) and C (+0.4 degrees) subjects. This was associated with an opposite trunk deviation in both planes.


CONCLUSIONS
While confirming the anticlockwise deviation already reported in the frontal plane, we showed for the first time to our knowledge a backward deviation of the SVV in neglect patients, which has to be put in relation with their balance disorders.
Saj
Arnaud
A
Service de Rééducation Neurologique, Hôpital Swynghedauw, CHRU de Lille, France.
Honoré
Jacques
J
Bernati
Thérèse
T
Coello
Yann
Y
Rousseaux
Marc
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D014717:Vertigo / Q000209:etiology*; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology