STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF ROTATORY STIMULATION UPON RESPIRATION

The reactions evoked by labyrinthine stimulation involve vestibulo-ocular reflexes, vestibulo-spinal reflexes and vestibulo-autonomic reflexes. By taking into account these three relationships, it would seem to be in some measure possible to diagnose the region of a lesion. Wodak (1956) has systematically studied, in 118 subjects, vestibulo autonomic reactions (pallor, nausea, vomiting, etc), vestibulo-spinal reflex (the deviation reaction) and vestibuloocular reflex (caloric nystagmus) and has applied them in clinical diagnosis. But generally speaking the prime object, in rotatory and caloric examination, has been only the observation of nystagmus; as regards respiratory, changes, blood pressure changes and changes in muscular tonus of the limbs, it does not appear that any conscientious observations are being made. The author has therefore observed respiratory changes while rotational nystagmus was appearing in human subjects and in animals, and has considered what physiological and clinical significance these changes may have. (Author) Trans. of Nihon Jibi Inkoka Gakkai Kaiho (Japan) 1962, v. 65, no. 5, p. 662-671. Also available from NRC.