GALVANIC-INDUCED POSTURAL MOVEMENTS AS A TEST OF VESTIBULAR FUNCTION IN HUMANS

Citation
Sp. Cass et al., GALVANIC-INDUCED POSTURAL MOVEMENTS AS A TEST OF VESTIBULAR FUNCTION IN HUMANS, The Laryngoscope, 106(4), 1996, pp. 423-430
Citations number
17
Categorie Soggetti
Otorhinolaryngology,"Instument & Instrumentation
Journal title
ISSN journal
0023852X
Volume
106
Issue
4
Year of publication
1996
Pages
423 - 430
Database
ISI
SICI code
0023-852X(1996)106:4<423:GPMAAT>2.0.ZU;2-W
Abstract
Galvanic stimulation produces postural sway and eye movements in human s, Since galvanic currents are thought to exert their effect at the tr igger zone of the vestibular nerve, an intact vestibular nerve should be necessary to produce a response, We have used galvanic stimulation in humans to test the hypothesis that intact vestibular nerve fibers a re required to obtain a postural sway response, Experimental subjects included normal subjects, patients who had undergone resection of an a coustic neuroma, and patients who bad undergone vestibular neurectomy and surgical labyrinthectomy, Our results support the hypothesis that an intact vestibular nerve is necessary to produce a response. Moreove r, two patients with recurrent vertigo following vestibular neurectomy and labyrinthectomy, who had absent ice-water caloric test responses in the operated ears, were found to have a positive galvanic response. This result suggested that their recurrent vertigo was based on intac t residual vestibular nerve fibers, Although previous research has not yielded a routine clinical use for galvanic stimulation, our results suggest that galvanic stimulation of the vestibular system can provide unique and valuable diagnostic information.