3D analysis of nystagmus in peripheral vertigo.

Three-dimensional analysis of nystagmus was carried out in patients with peripheral vestibular diseases using a computerized image recognition technique developed by us. In the present study, we analyzed data from patients with Meniere's disease and vestibular neuritis with the central premise of localizing the pathology in the peripheral vestibular organs. In Meniere's disease, the recordings of all subjects showed two components of eye movements, namely the horizontal and torsional components. On the other hand, most of the patients with vestibular neuritis exhibited all three components of spontaneous nystagmus. The horizontal and vertical components of nystagmus in patients with vestibular neuritis were directed towards the contralateral side of the lesion and upwards. Based on these results and with reference to animal experiments that have related the eye movements with each labyrinthine end organ, it can be speculated that in Meniere's disease the pathological changes may involve all semicircular canals, whereas the main site of lesion in vestibular neuritis could be localized to the superior vestibular nerve.