[Function of proprioceptors of the cervical spine in the cervico-ocular reflex]

Disease of the cervical spine may cause vestibular vertigo. The anatomical basis for this type of cervical vertigo are the proprioceptive stretch receptors of the upper cervical joints. These are connected to the vestibular nuclei, and, thus, to ocular reactions (nystagmus). Quantitative data about this cervico-ocular reflex are still scarce since the reflex is strongly suppressed in healthy persons. However, suppression ceases in bilateral complete vestibular deficiency. We measured the cervico-ocular reflex in 6 patients with complete bilateral labyrinthine deficiency. One patient showed a complete absence of the reflex, which might be explained by degeneration of the vestibular nuclei. 5 patients showed a strong cervico-ocular reflex with a gain (relation of eye amplitude to head amplitude) of 0.35-1.0. This gain was present with stimulus frequencies of 0.15-0.65 Hz. Data on the proprioceptive sensory organ of the cervical column could be the basis for evaluation of the widely-discussed importance of diseases of the cervical spine in vertigo.