The statolith ocular reflex induced by whole body roll was assessed in
10 patients with Meniere's disease who had undergone a standard vesti
bular test battery. Normal eye torsion was noted in 4 patients despite
the presence of severe symptoms, and a caloric hyporeflexia in one pa
tient. Eye torsion was diminished in one direction of body roll in 4 p
atients and in both directions of body roll in 2 patients. An abnormal
asymmetry of eye torsion (> 16%) was found in the case of body roll t
owards the normal ear irrespective of whether a caloric asymmetry was
found. An abnormal asymmetry of the statolith ocular reflex seems to i
ndicate the side with the functional hearing loss. The results suggest
that Meniere's disease might involve pathology of the statolith syste
m. However, the absence of abnormal eve torsion does not imply normal
vestibular function.