[The vertical and rotatory components of ocular nystagmus induced by rotation in a horizontal plane]

During rotation of the rabbit around a vertical axis, movements of the eye were recorded on film. The rotation test involved positive angular accelaration (10 grade. sec(-2)), two-minute rotation with constant angular speed (166 grade. sec(-1)), and negative angular acceleration (10 grade. sec(-2)). Two variants of rotation were used: in one of them the rotation axis passed between labyrinths, in another - an excentricitet providing centrifugal force of 0.5 g was present. The successive processing of the film revealed simultaneous movements of the eye in three planes: horizontal, frontal, and sagittal. The movements in all the planes consisted of rhythmic (hystagmal proper) and tonic components. The movements in sagittal and frontal planes were comparable with those in horizontal planes. A tonic otolith reflex occurred additionally at the excentric rotation. The complex form of the nystagmus is regarded as a result of hydromechanical interaction between semicircular canals.