Vestibular responses in Wernicke's encephalopathy
- PMID: 2817841
- DOI: 10.1002/ana.410260513
Vestibular responses in Wernicke's encephalopathy
Abstract
Two patients with Wernicke's encephalopathy were evaluated with quantitative vestibulo-ocular reflex and ocular motor testing. Vestibulo-ocular reflex testing included caloric irrigation, earth vertical axis rotational sinusoids, and rotational impulses. Both patients demonstrated hypoactive vestibular responses to both caloric and rotational stimuli at the time of presentation. One patient had unbeating nystagmus that diminished with upgaze, downgaze, or convergence. Following treatment with thiamine, both patients' vestibular responses improved but remained abnormal, with a short vestibulo-ocular reflex time constant and increased low-frequency rotational phase lead. Impairment of the velocity storage element attributable to damage to the vestibular nucleus and nucleus prepositus hypoglossi may account for this permanent effect on the vestibulo-ocular reflex.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources