Electronystagmographic analysis of caloric test parameters in vestibular disorders

The electronystagmographical analysis of the eye movements provoked by caloric stimulation is an important method in the evaluation and topical diagnostic procedure of several vestibular lesions. The aim of the study was to compare the electronystagmographical results of caloric response in several vestibular disorders. The patients were divided into five groups: right and left unilateral and bilateral peripheral lesions, central vestibular dysfunction, and normal vestibular function. In the normal vestibular system group the average caloric nystagmus SPV in normal vestibular system was 17.4 °/s. In the peripheral lesion groups the average slow phase velocities are decreased in the affected side, as we expected. In the compensated vestibular lesion the average ASPV of caloric nystagmus is also decreased on the unaffected side. This might be caused by the effect of the central adaptive mechanisms. According to our observations, in central dysfunctions the average caloric ASPV and the spontaneous nystagmus ASPV is increased (25.0 °/s). This suggests that in central vestibular lesions the central inhibiting mechanisms of the caloric response are impaired. Our results show that electronystagmographical analysis of spontaneous and caloric nystagmus is very important in the evaluation of dizzy patients.