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Periodic alternating nystagmus and vestibulo-spinal system facilitating activity
M Versino1, A Romani, R Callieco
1Dipartimento Scienze Neurologiche, Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italy. mversino@unipv.it
Objective:
Periodic alternating nystagmus has been associated with the instability of the velocity storage mechanism, which is known to play an important role in both the vestibulo-oculomotor and the optokinetic systems. In the present study we looked for a possible spinal equivalent to PAN.
Methods And Results:
In 3 PAN patients, the H-reflex amplitude proved to be slightly but significantly influenced by nystagmus direction, in that it was greater when the nystagmus was beating toward the stimulation side.
Conclusions:
This finding suggests that projections from velocity storage may play a role not only in the ocular motor but also in assisting postural stability through the vestibulo-spinal system.