Eye movements induced by short tone burst stimulation: a video-oculography study

Background: Several animal studies have shown that electrical stimulation of the semicircular canals and the otoliths (especially the utricle) induces side-specific eye movements. The aim of our study was to determine by 3D video-oculography (VOG) whether the stimulus used for vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP), a test for sacculus function, induces such eye movements in healthy volunteers. Using VEMP stimulation we examined the effect of the vestibulocollic reflex (VCR), which is mediated by vestibulo-spinal pathways, on head and body coordination in space. An ascending cortical connection of the VCR…