OCULOMOTOR PATHOLOGY IN MENIERES-DISEASE

In this study data of voluntary eye movements 62 patients (mean age wa s 49.6 years) with Meniere's disease and 38 healthy control subjects w ere examined. Pseudo-random smooth pursuit (PRPEM) tests were conducte d with frequency combination of 0.25 and 0.425 Hz. Saccades at constan t targets and pseudo-randomly shifting targets were evaluated. In logi stic regression analysis constant saccades correctly classified the ca ses in 57% as saccadic latency discriminating the groups best, latency being longer in Meniere group. In pseudo-random saccades, correct cla ssification was achieved in 75.4% of all cases as latency discriminati ng the groups best, and latency was longer in Meniere group. In PRPEM, correct classification was achieved in 65.3% of all cases as gain by amplitude (GA), discriminating the groups best, and GA was smaller in Meniere group. Pseudo-random saccade test is a demanding task and that may explain why a peripheral vestibular lesion may interfere visual t racking and scanning performance. Latency is the most vulnerable of pa rameters to be lesioned. Results indicate that a peripheral vestibular lesion influences the control of voluntary eye movements and may expl ain the complaints of visual targeting on objects that patients with M eniere's disease have.