Neurotic Anxiety and Vestibular Function as Reflected in the Vertigo and Nystagmus Responses to Repeated Caloric Stimuli

Abstract

Neurotic anxiety was measured by means of a ‘neuroticism” inventory constructed by the author.

The routine caloric test was performed on 167 subjects. There was no correlation between the degree of neurotic anxiety and the average intensity of the vertigo and nystagmus responses.

Those subjects who had distinct vertigo responses and ‘normal” nystagmus responses at the routine test were selected for a study of the responses to repeated identical monolabyrinthine caloric stimulations. Among these subjects there was no correlation between the degree of neurotic anxiety and the magnitude of habituation to the stimulations.

The results and the methodological problems of the study are discussed.