Assessing otolith function by the subjective visual vertical.

Abstract

The effects of peripheral vestibular diseases on the subjective visual vertical (SVV) are resumed and provide the basis for some insights into the otolith pathophysiology. With a normal range of 0 +/- 2 deg (when measured in an upright body position), the SVV was shifted by 11 +/- 6 deg toward the ipsilateral ear in 40 patients following an acute unilateral vestibular deafferentiation (UVD), but in the opposite direction in 9 of 52 patients after stapes surgery. These opposite effects suggest a push-pull mechanism of the pairs of otolith organs with respect to the SVV. The dissociation between the SVV and the perception of body position indicates influences by unconscious reflexive mechanisms such as ocular cyclotorsion on the SVV. In chronic UVD patients, lateral shifts of the subjects during constant angular velocity rotation into various eccentric positions (+/- 16 cm) revealed a shift of the "center of graviception" close to the remaining intact contralateral inner ear. To date, this seems to be the most consistent test for clinical identification of a chronic compensated unilateral loss of otolith function. The findings regarding asymmetries in otolithic sensitivity to medially and laterally directed roll-tilts remain controversial, probably mainly because of influences of extravestibular cues.