Inferior vestibular neuritis in a fighter pilot: a case report.

Spatial disorientation in airplane pilots is a leading factor in many fatal flying accidents. Spatial orientation is the product of integrative inputs from the proprioceptive, vestibular, and visual systems. One condition that can lead to sudden pilot incapacitation in flight is vestibular neuritis.

Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials and motion sickness susceptibility.

Background: A functional vestibular system is a prerequisite for motion sickness (MS) to occur. The otolithic organs (saccule and utricle) are currently considered to be important in the pathogenesis of MS. Recent investigations have demonstrated that the ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) test is an objective evaluation of utricular function.

Ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials in healthy pilots and student pilots.

Introduction: Excellent vestibular function (including utricular function) is important for pilots to maintain correct spatial orientation during flight. Vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) recorded from extraocular muscles, the so-called ocular VEMP (oVEMP), can be used to evaluate utricular function. However, oVEMP has not been applied to pilots because of lack of reliable normative data.

Horizontal canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in a fighter pilot.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common disorder of the peripheral vestibular system, characterized by intense, positional provoked vertigo. BPPV is thought to occur due to canalithiasis of the posterior semicircular canal. Recently, a new entity of BPPV, known as horizontal canal (HC)-BPPV, has been recognized.

Vestibular function in military pilots before and after 10 s at +9 Gz on a centrifuge.

Background: Effects of high Gz acceleration can threaten flight safety through loss of consciousness or a lesser-known phenomenon, G-induced vestibular dysfunction (GIVD). There are reports of GIVD following high-G flight or centrifuge exposure. The aim of this study was to explore this problem under controlled conditions using a human centrifuge.

[Audiological and vestibular evaluation of new coagulation factor C homology mutation carriers in a Chinese family].

Objective: To analyze the clinical features of audiological and vestibular function in a Chinese family with late onset autosomal dominant nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss.

Methods: Comprehensive audiological and vestibular evaluation including pure tone audiometry, auditory brainstem response (ABR), electrocochleogram (EcochG), oculomotor testing, caloric tests, rotational testing, computerized dynamic posturography and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) were conducted to identify the hearing and vestibular impairment.

Results: All affected family members shared sensorineural hearing loss with full penetrance starting between the second and fifth decade of life as a high frequency loss which progresses to a severe to profound loss at the sixth to seventh decade.

[Clinical significance of vibration-induced nystagmus in patients with unilateral peripheral vestibular disorders].

Objective: To clarify the clinical significance of vibration-induced nystagmus (VIN) and to calculate the sensitivity and the specificity of the vibration test.

Methods: One hundred and twelve patients with unilateral peripheral vestibular disorders and 30 normal subjects were enrolled into this study. However, patients with spontaneous nystagmus were excluded.

[Characteristics of vestibular-ocular reflex in guinea pigs during eccentric sinusoidal rotation].

Aim: To observe the characteristics of vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) of guinea pigs during eccentric sinusoidal rotation in different frequencies and radius, and compare them with that during axis rotation, obtain the parameters which reflect otolith functions, and provide experimental evidence for the establishment of otolith function test.

Methods: Guinea pigs were placed in axis of rotation and in an heading out eccentric position apart from rotation axis of 330 mm, 660 mm and 990 mm respectively, their VOR were recorded and compared under stimulus of sinusoidal rotations in the frequencies of 0.1, 0.

[High Gy induced vestibular disorders in guinea pigs and its countermeasure by preconditioning].

Objective: To explore if high G exposure can cause vestibular disorder in guinea pig and the possibility of preventing it by preconditioning with exposure to a low hypergravity environment before high G stimulus.

Method: A total of 86 guinea pigs were divided into 4 groups: 1) 28 were treated with a stimulus of +10 Gy for 5 min (+10 Gy group); 2) 28 were preconditioned by exposure to 2 G environment for 8 d before the +10 Gy stimulus (preconditioning group); 3) 20 were exposed to 2 G environment for 8 d, but without +10 Gy stimulus (2 G group); the rest 10 served as control. Their vestibular related behaviour, including vestibulo-spinal reflex (VSR) and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) such as head tremble, head deviation, spontaneous nystagmus, eye deviation, body tilt or looping, were observed directly, the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in VNC (vestibular nucleon complex) in brain stem were investigated by immunohistochemistry technique, and the relative gamma in each group were analysed.