Visuo-Vestibular Interaction Measurements: An Alternative for Rotation Tests with Better Discriminatory Power?

Abstract

A vestibular function test is introduced for evaluating visuo-vestibular interaction (VVI), in which a visual target may move asynchronously with a pseudo-randomly oscillating rotatory chair. The results show better discrimination of patients (Meniere's disease. benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BPPV), uncompensated peripheral vestibular lesions, whiplash) than do standard tests (torsion swing, velocity step, calorization, smooth pursuit, optokinetics. saccade analysis). For the phase shift, the better performance is shown to stem from improved reproducibility. Signal analysis is done fully automatically, thereby precluding experimenter's bias.

Key Words:

• vestibular function tests
• eye movements
• reflex
• vestibulo-ocular
• vestibular diseases
• comparative study
• human
• whiplash
• Menierr's disease
• reproducibility of results
• discriminant analysis
• analysis of variance