A clinical test of otolith function: static ocular counterroll with passive head tilt.
When roll-tilted around the naso-occipital axis, humans exhibit compensatory torsional rotation of the eyes in the opposite direction owing to the torsional vestibulo-ocular reflex. In the static condition (sustained head roll), the utricles act as responsible sensors for 'static ocular counterroll'. Contributions of cervico-ocular reflexes remain unknown. To find an easy, clinically useful test of utricular function, we induced ocular counterroll in 10 healthy study participants (two men, mean age 27+/-2 years) under three stimulation conditions (active/passive head tilt and passive whole body tilt in roll plane), used three-dimensional video-oculography to measure it, and compared values. Active head-tilt-induced ocular counterroll varied most and was thus less reliable than passive head and body tilt-induced ocular counterroll. Utricular function can thus be tested simply by measuring passive head tilt with video-oculography.
Zingler
Vera C
VC
Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Klinikum Grosshadern, Munich, Germany. vzingler@med.uni-muenchen.de
Kryvoshey
Dmytro
D
Schneider
Erich
E
Glasauer
Stefan
S
Brandt
Thomas
T
Strupp
Michael
M
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D010037:Otolithic Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D012399:Rotation; D015348:Vision, Binocular