Vestibular disease Flashcards
The vestibular system
Includes vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII), parts of the inner ear and brainstem
Functions of the vestibular system (3)
- maintain balance & orientation in respect to gravity
- position of the eyes, trunk & limbs
- controls eye movements in relation to the head
General signs of dysfunction
imbalance
abnormal head/limb/body/eye position
abnormal eye movements
Specific sings of vestibular syndrome
Head tilt towards the lesion (except in paradoxical Vestibular syndrome)
Ataxia, wide based stance.
Circling, leaning, falling or rolling towards the lesion
Eyes: strabismus (= eyes don’t align. often positional), nystagmus
Horner’s
Common central causes of vestibular dz
Infarction Meningoencephalitis Head trauma Metranidazole toxicity Brain tumour
Common causes of peripheral vestibular disease
Nasopharyngeal polyps Otitis media/interna Trauma to middle/inner ear Toxicity - ahminoglycosides, chlorhexidine Middle/inner ear neoplasia
Paradoxical vestibular syndrome is seen when
the flocullonodular lobe or caudal cerebellar peduncle are involved causing loss of inhibition of vestibular nuclei on the contralateral side.
PRDs usually ipsilateral to the lesion