Head-shaking nystagmus during vestibular compensation in humans and rhesus monkeys

Nystagmus evoked after rapid horizontal head-shaking is believed to be a sensitive indication of the existence and location of a unilateral vestibular lesion. Its origin is the directional asymmetry in vestibular responses of the healthy labyrinth (Ewald's second law). For nystagmus to appear after the head has stopped moving, however, the directionally asymmetric responses must have been stored during the head-shaking to be discharged afterwards. Our results confirm the notion that head-shaking nystagmus is most likely generated by a directional preponderance in vestibular responses but only in combination with a functioning central velocity-storage mechanism. If velocity-storage is lost completely, as may occur during the acute phase of a unilateral peripheral vestibular lesion, even a large vestibular preponderance does not lead to head-shaking nystagmus. Thus, to interpret the results of the head-shaking test the condition of the velocity-storage mechanism must be taken into account.