Effect of Cigarette Smoking on the Vestibular Nystagmus Pattern

Abstract

Cigarette smoking was shown to give rise to obvious changes of the vestibular nystagmus pattern and these changes were ascribed to central influences. It was demonstrated that the fast phase affected the nystagmus pattern by changing its velocity, but above all by changing the time for its interruption of the slow phase. Early interruptions thus increased the frequency and decreased the amplitude. The qualities initiated in the vestibular receptor, the speed of the slow component and the deviations of the eyes in the direction of the fast component, were not significantly changed. Heavy smokers were found to have less changes in the nystagmus pattern by smoking than moderate smokers.