Posture control in Pusher syndrome: influence of lateral semicircular canals.
Pusher syndrome is an interesting disorder of balance in patients with encephalic lesions characterized by the peculiar behavior of actively pushing away from the non-hemiparetic side and resisting against passive correction, with a tendency to fall toward the paralyzed side. The role of vestibular system on the pushing behavior is not clear.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate horizontal semicircular canal function in patients with Pusher syndrome, using caloric and rotation tests.


METHODS
Observational prospective.


METHODS
We evaluated 9 inpatients with stroke and Pusher syndrome at the neurological unit of HCFMRP-USP. We applied neurological and neuropsychological exams, NIHSS, Scale for contraversive pushing (SCP), caloric and rotation tests.


RESULTS
We evaluated 9 patients (5 men) with mean age of 71.8 +/- 5.9 and mean NIHSS of 18.33. Three patients presented contralateral directional preponderance on caloric test and we found four patients with directional preponderance on analysis of the slow phase velocity of rotation test response.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that a dysfunction of semicircular canals does not seem to be relevant for the clinical manifestations of the Pusher syndrome.
Pontelli
Taiza Elaine Grespan dos Santos
TE
Pontes-Neto
Octavio Marques
OM
Colafêmina
José Fernando
JF
Araújo
Draulio Barros de
DB
Santos
Antonio Carlos
AC
Leite
João Pereira
JP
D000368:Aged; D002150:Caloric Tests; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007699:Kinesthesis; D008297:Male; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004856:Postural Balance; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D012399:Rotation; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D013577:Syndrome