Compensation of total loss of vestibulo-ocular reflex by enhanced optokinetic response

The gain in the optokinetic nystagmus reflex (OKR) of 27 labyrinthine-defective patients was compared with that of 27 subjects without any otoneurological abnormality, who were matched by age and sex. The patients without labyrinth function exhibited significantly higher OKR gains than the control subjects, especially so at higher age. The observed enhancement of OKR gain in the absence of vestibular function is ascribed to the effect of optokinetic training brought about by enhanced slippage of retinal images due to lack of an efficient vestibulo-ocular reflex.