Earth Horizontal Axis Rotational Responses in Patients with Unilateral Peripheral Vestibular Deficits

Abstract

We evaluated the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) of five patients with surgically confirmed unilateral peripheral vestibular lesions. Testing used both earth vertical axis (EVA) and earth horizontal axis (EHA) yaw rotation. Results indicated that the patients had short VOR time constants, asymmetric responses to both EVA and EHA rotation, and normal EHA modulation components. These findings suggest that unilateral peripheral vestibular loss causes a shortened VOR time constant even with the addition of dynamic otolithic stimulation and causes an asymmetry in semicircular canal-ocular reflexes and one aspect of otolith-ocular reflexes.