The Vestibulo-ocular Reflex During Active Head Motion in Chiari II Malformation

Overview

Journal Can J Neurol Sci

Specialty Neurology

Date 2008 Nov 1

PMID 18973069

Citations 5

Authors

Michael S Salman

James A Sharpe

Linda Lillakas

Maureen Dennis

Martin J Steinbach

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Chiari type II malformation (CII) is a developmental anomaly of the cerebellum and brainstem, which are important structures for processing the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). We investigated the effects of the deformity of CII on the angular VOR during active head motion.

Methods: Eye and head movements were recorded using an infrared eye tracker and magnetic head tracker in 20 participants with CII [11 males, age range 8-19 years, mean (SD) 14.4 (3.2) years]. Thirty-eight age-matched healthy children and adolescents (21 males) constituted the control group. Participants were instructed to 'look' in darkness at the position of their thumb, placed 25 cm away, while they made horizontal and vertical sinusoidal head rotations at frequencies of about 0.5 Hz and 2 Hz. Parametric and non-parametric tests were used to compare the two groups.

Results: The VOR gains, the ratio of eye to head velocities, were abnormally low in two participants with CII and abnormally high in one participant with CII.

Conclusion: The majority of participants with CII had normal VOR performance in this investigation. However, the deformity of CII can impair the active angular VOR in some patients with CII. Low gain is attributed to brainstem damage and high gain to cerebellar dysfunction.

Citing Articles

Perverted Downward Corrective Saccades During Horizontal Head Impulses in Chiari Malformation.

Kim S, Kim H, Kim J Cerebellum. 2019; 18(3):333-339.

PMID: 30610539 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-018-1000-z.

Primary and secondary management of the Chiari II malformation in children with myelomeningocele.

Messing-Junger M, Rohrig A Childs Nerv Syst. 2013; 29(9):1553-62.

PMID: 24013325 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-013-2134-4.

Cerebellar motor function in spina bifida meningomyelocele.

Dennis M, Salman M, Juranek J, Fletcher J Cerebellum. 2010; 9(4):484-98.

PMID: 20652468 PMC: 2997126. DOI: 10.1007/s12311-010-0191-8.

The cognitive phenotype of spina bifida meningomyelocele.

Dennis M, Barnes M Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2010; 16(1):31-9.

PMID: 20419769 PMC: 2924202. DOI: 10.1002/ddrr.89.

The cerebellar dysplasia of Chiari II malformation as revealed by eye movements.

Salman M, Dennis M, Sharpe J Can J Neurol Sci. 2009; 36(6):713-24.

PMID: 19960749 PMC: 3050022. DOI: 10.1017/s0317167100008325.

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