Nystagmus Flashcards
Ocular Motor System controls the _____ and _____ of the eyes
Position and Movement
A dysfunction in the ocular motor system causes…
Diplopia
True/False: EOMs are innervated by lower motor neurons
TRUE
EOMs are attached on one end to ____ and the other end to _______, which allows for eye movements
Sclera; bony orbit
_______ Nucleus corresponds with CN ____ and innervates the Lateral Rectus of the ______ (ipsilateral/contralateral) eye
Abducens Nucleus corresponds with CN 6 and innervates the Lateral Rectus of the ipsilateral eye
_______ Nucleus corresponds with CN ____ and innervates the Superior Oblique of the ______ (ipsilateral/contralateral) eye
Trochlear Nucleus corresponds with CN 4 and innervates the Superior Oblique of the contralateral eye
Oculomotor Complex corresponds with CN ____ and innervates:
- Levator of ______ (ipsilateral/contralateral) eye
- IO of ______ (ipsilateral/contralateral) eye
- IR of ______ (ipsilateral/contralateral) eye
- SR of ______ (ipsilateral/contralateral) eye
- MR of ______ (ipsilateral/contralateral) eye
- LR of ______ (ipsilateral/contralateral) eye
Oculomotor Complex corresponds with CN 3 and innervates:
- Levator of both eyes
- IO of ipsilateral eye
- IR of ipsilateral eye
- SR of contralateral eye
- MR of ipsilateral eye
Interconnections between _______ and ______, via the _______, coordinate vertical movement
Interconnections between Trochlear Nucleus and Oculomotor Nuclear Complex, via the tectospinal tract, coordinate vertical movement
Fixation requires the suppression of _____
Unwanted saccades
Vestibulo-ocular reflex compensates for ____
Head movements
UMN indicates _____ involvement and likely to cause a _____ (unilateral/bilateral) defect
UMN indicates brainstem involvement and likely to cause a bilateral defect
LMN indicates _____ involvement and likely to cause a _____ (unilateral/bilateral) defect
LMN indicates direct EOM or CN involvement and likely to cause a unilateral defect
Nystagmus
Rhythmic and repetitive oscillation of the eye(s)
Direction of nystagmus is defined by the _____ phase
QUICK
New onset nystagmus indicates a lesion in either the ______ or the ______
Either the inner ear or the brain
requires urgent evaluation
What is the most common type of nystagmus?
JERK
Jerk Nystagmus is characterized by…
Slow pathological phase, followed by fast corrective phase in opposite direction
What type of disorders are indicated if there is a torsional component to the nystagmus?
Inner Ear Disorder
Gaze-evoked nystagmus occurs in lateral gaze of ____º or more
40º of more
TRUE/FALSE: In gaze-evoked nystagmus, nystagmus is absent in primary gaze
TRUE
typically
Intoxication causes what type of nystagmus, and thus testing for this nystagmus is often used in sobriety testing?
Gaze-evoked
Unilateral gaze-evoked nystagmus may indicate
Ipsilateral cerebellar or brainstem disease
refer to neuro-ophthalmologist
Gaze-evoked nystagmus in both horizontal and upgaze indicates
Toxic Metabolic Process (aka Intoxication)
Internuclear Ophthalmoplegia
When looking at the contralateral side, aBducting eye exhibits nystagmus, and ipsilateral eye cannot aDduct
INO indicates a lesion where?
MLF
How to differentiate if lesion is in pons or midbrain?
Pons — convergence will be intact
Midbrain — cannot converge (cannot aDduct ipsilateral eye)
INO in an adolescent or younger adult is likely caused by…
MS (demyelination)
INO in an older adult is likely caused by…
Stroke (brainstem infarction)
What 3 arteries are likely to be indicated in vascular-related INO?
- Posterior Cerebral Artery
- Superior Cerebellar Artery
- Basilar Artery
Associated Signs of INO
- Skew Deviation/Ocular Tilt Reaction (hyper ipsilateral to the lesion)
- Vertical Torsional Nystagmus (ipsilateral downbeat and contralateral torsional nystagmus)
- Vertical Gaze Palsy or Nystagmus
In INO, why does the contralateral eye exhibit nystagmus?
Hering’s Law of Innervation
Bilateral INO
Limitation of aDduction with nystagmus of abducting eye in both left and right gaze
TRUE/FALSE: in INO, there will be vertical nystagmus on upgaze
TRUE
Wall Eye Bilateral INO (WEBINO)
Large XT + BINO
What causes WEBINO?
Midbrain lesion that also impacts CN 3 (MR)
One and a Half Syndrome
Ipsilateral gaze palsy + Ipsilateral INO
Where is the lesion in One and a Half Syndrome?
MLF, also impacts CN 6
What is the only residual movement in One and a Half Syndrome?
Abducting of contralateral eye (that exhibits nystagmus)
Brun’ Nystagmus is a type of ____ nystagmus
Gaze-evoked
Brun’s Nystagmus is associated with a lesion in _____
The Cerebellopontine Angle (CPA)
Is Brun’s Nystagmus associated with peripheral or central nystagmus? Explain.
BOTH
Peripheral due to CN 8 dysfunction and Central due to pons compression
Brun’s nystagmus:
low frequency and high amplitude when looking _____ (to lesion/opposite of lesion)
low frequency and high amplitude when looking to lesion
Brun’s nystagmus:
high frequency and low amplitude when looking _____ (to lesion/opposite of lesion)
high frequency and low amplitude when looking opposite of lesion
What are some clinical findings you might expect in a patient with Brun’s Nystagmus? (4)
- CN 7 defects: ipsilateral facial palsy
- Bilateral papilledema
- CN 5 defects: sensory loss
- Cerebellar defects: ataxia
The defect in a peripheral vestibular pathway dysfunction is likely to be located ____
In labyrinth of the ear or the vestibular nerve
The defect in a central vestibular pathway dysfunction is likely to be located ____
In brainstem:
1. Root entry zone of CN 7
2. Vestibular nuclei
3. Oculomotor nuclei
Alexander’s Law
Nystagmus increases when looking at direction of fast beating