The effects of age, sex, hearing loss and water temperature on caloric nystagmus.

Seventy five subjects ranging in age from 18 to 87 years received warm and cool caloric irrigations. Nystagmus was recorded and latency, duration, amplitude, frequency and speed of the slow component were measured. The effects of age, hearing loss, sex and water temperature were evaluated. Significant differences were found in cool water durations. Significant differences were found as a function of age for all parameters in warm water calorics. Response duration was not found to be significantly correlated to speed of the slow component in cool calorics.