Clinical study of the role of melanocytes in the inner ear of patients with Harada's disease.

Harada's disease is an autoimmune disorder involving melanocytes. Twenty patients with Harada's disease underwent otoneurological examination to investigate the inner ear involvement in Harada's disease and the function of the melanocytes in the inner ear. All 20 exhibited clinical and/or laboratory abnormal inner ear findings. The incidence of inner ear involvement in Harada's disease is very high. The melanocytes in the inner ear play important roles in both auditory and equilibrium function.