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July 1971, Vol 94, No. 1 >
ARTICLE | July 1971

The Otoliths and the Ocular Countertorsion Reflex FREE

James R. Nelson, MD; Dennis Cope; Lawrence Kan
[+] Author Affiliations

Accepted for publication Feb 19, 1971.

Reprint requests to 225 W Dickinson St, San Diego, Calif (Dr. Nelson).


Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1971;94(1):40-50. doi:10.1001/archotol.1971.00770070076008
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References
Comments

A new photographic method for measurement of the otolithic ocular countertorsion reflex (OCR) uses a portable head frame unit to control the position of gaze and the camera. Mean ocular countertorsion of the two eyes (summed) after 50° lateral head tilt was 10.8° and 11.8° in 35 normals on right and left tilt respectively with the same large subject to subject and eye to eye variation and 1° spontaneous fluctuation in eye position reported earlier. Tilting the head and body en bloc vs tilt of the head on the neck revealed similar OCR values, both in normals and in four subjects with severe bilateral labyrinthine damage, suggesting that neck afferents contribute very little to the OCR. Gaze shifts prior to photography did not increase OCR error. Preliminary results in patients with positional vertigo revealed a tendency for lesser countertorsion when the head was tilted towards the affected ear.

REFERENCES

1 +
Hunter J: Observations on Certain Parts of the Animal Economy . London, 1786;.
2 +
Barany R:  Über die vom Ohrlabyrinth ausgelöste Gegenrollung der Augen bei Normalhörenden, Orhrenkranken and Taubstummen . Arch Ohrenheilk 68:1-30, 1906;.
3 +
Benjamins CE:  L'examen de la fonction otolithique par la mesure de la contrerotation des yeux (Gegenrollung) . Rev Laryng 47:111-118, 1926;.
4 +
Grahe, K.- Raddrehung der Augen und Otolithenstellung beim Menschen . Acta Otolaryng 26:268-275, 1938;.
5 +
Fischer MH:  Messende Untersuchungen über die Gegenrollung der Augen und die Lokalisation der scheinbaren vertikalen bei seitlicher Neigung (des Kopfes, des Stammes und des Gesamtkörpers): I. Mitteilung. Neigungen bis zu 40° von Graefes Arch Ophthal 118:633-680, 1927;.
6 +
Fischer MH:  Messende Untersuchungen über die Gegenrollung der Augen und die Lokalisation der scheinbaren Vertikalen bei seitlicher Neigung des Gesamtkörpers bis zu 360°: II Mitteilung. Untersuchungen an Normalen . von Graefes Arch Ophthal 123:476-508, 1930;.
7 +
Donders FC:  Die Bewegungen des Auges, veranschaulicht durch das Panophthalmotrop . von Graefes Arch Ophthal 16:154-175, 1870;.
8 +
McCord F: The Measurement of Adjustive Eye Movements . Joint Prog. Pensacola, Fla N.M. 001063, Report No. 31 Naval School of Aerospace Medicine, 1953;.
9 +
Mulder ME:  De la rotation compensatrice de l'oeil en cas d'inclinasion à droite ou à gauche de la tête . Arch Ophthal 17:465-474, 1897;.
10 +
Quereau JVD:  Rolling of the eye around its visual axis during normal ocular movements . Arch Ophthal 53:807-810, 1955;.
11 +
Walton WG:  Compensatory cyclo-torsion accompanying head tilt . Amer J Optom 25:524-534, 1948;.
12 +
Kompanejetz S:  Investigation on the counterrolling of the eyes in optimum head-positions . Acta Otolaryng 12:332-350, 1928;.
13 +
Brecher GA:  Die optokinetische Auslösung von Augenrollung und rotatorischem Nystagmus . Pflueger Arch 234:13-28, 1934;.
14 +
Merton PA:  Compensatory rolling movements of the eye . J Physiol 132:25-27, 1956;.
15 +
Fender DH:  Torsional motions of the eyeball . Brit J Ophthal 39:65-72, 1955;.
16 +
Howard IP, Evans JA:  The measurement of eye torsion . Vision Res 3:447-455, 1963;.
17 +
Jongkees LBW:  How to examine the otoliths . Ann Otol 75:764-771, 1966;.
18 +
Jongkees JBW:  On the otoliths: Their function and the way to test them, in The Role of the Vestibular Organs in Space Exploration . NASA SP - 152:307-330, 1967;.
19 +
Benjamins CE, Nienhuis JH:  Die Raddrehungskurve beim Menschen . Arch Exp Ohr Nas Kehlkopfheilk 116:241-254, 1927;.
20 +
Miller EF:  Counterrolling of the human eyes produced by head tilt with respect to gravity . Acta Otolaryng 54:479-501, 1962;.
21 +
Schuknecht HF:  Positional vertigo: Clinical and experimental observations . Trans Amer Acad Ophthal Otolaryng 319-332, 1962;.
22 +
Harrison MD:  Benign positional vertigo , in Wolfson RJ (ed): The Vestibular System and Its Diseases . Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1966;, pp 404-427.
23 +
de Kleijn A, Magnus R:  Über die Funktion der Otolithen: II. Mitteilung. Isolierte Otolithenausschaltung bei Meerschweinchen . Pflueger Arch 186:61-81, 1921;.
24 +
Kompanjetz S:  On compensatory eye movements in deaf mutes . Acta Otolaryng 7:323-334, 1925;.
25 +
Fregly AR, Graybiel A: Labyrinthine Defects as Shown by Ataxia and Threshold Caloric Tests . NAMI-994. NASA Order R-93. Pensacola, Fla, Naval Aerospace Medical Institute, 1968;.
26 +
Kellogg RS:  Dynamic counterrolling of the eye in normal subjects and in persons with bilateral labyrinthine defects , in The Role of the Vestibular Organs in the Exploration of Space . NASA SP-77, 1965;, p 195-202.
27 +
Miller EF II, Graybiel A:  Effect of drugs on ocular counterrolling . Clin Pharmacol Therap 10: 92-99, 1969;.
28 +
Graybiel A, Woellner RC:  A new and objective method for measuring ocular torsion . Amer J Ophthal 47:349-352, 1959;.
29 +
Fischer MH:  Messende Untersuchungen über die Gegenrollung der Augen und die Lokalisation der scheinbaren Vertikalen bei seitlicher Neigung des Körpers, Kopfes und Stammes: III. Mitteilung. Untersuchungen an einem Ertaubten mit Funktionsuntüchtigkeit beiderseitigen Vestibularapparate und einem einseitig Labyrinthlosen . von Grafes Arch Ophthal 123:509-531, 1930;.
30 +
Scott AB:  Extraocular muscles and head tilting . Arch Ophthal 78:397-399, 1967;.
31 +
Nelson JR, Cope D: The effect of medial longitudinal fasciculus lesions on ocular countertorsion, to be published.
32 +
McGee TM, Olszenwski J:  Streptomycin sulfate and dihydrostreptomycin toxicity: Behavioral and histopathologic studies . Arch Otolaryng 75:295-311, 1962;.
33 +
Schuknecht HF:  Mechanism of inner ear injury from blows to the head . Ann Otol 78:253-254, 1969;.
34 +
Miller EF II, Graybiel A:  A comparison of ocular counterrolling movements between normal persons and deaf subjects with bilateral labyrinthine defects . Ann Otol 72:885-893, 1963;.
35 +
van der Hoeve J:  Relations between eye and ear (including the vestibular organ) . Arch Ophthal 1:321-337, 1922;.
36 +
Woellner RC, Graybiel A:  The loss of counterrolling of the eyes in three persons presumably without functional otolith organs . Ann Otol 69: 1006-1012, 1960;.
37 +
Bárány R:  Augenbewegungen, durch Thoraxbewegungen ausgelöst . Zbl Physiol 20:298-302, 1906;.
38 +
Howard IP, Templeton WB (eds): Human Spatial Orientation . New York, John Wiley & Sons Inc, 1966;.
39 +
Duensing F, Shaefer KP:  Uber die Konvergenz verschiedener Labyrinther Afferenzen auf einzelne Neurone die Vestibulariskerngebietes . Arch Psychiat Nervenkr 199:345-371, 1959;.
40 +
Miller EF II, Graybiel A, Kellogg RS:  Otolith organ activity within earth standard, one-half standard and zero-gravity environments . Aerospace Med 37:399-403, 1966;.
41 +
Schöne H:  Über den Einfluss der Schwerkraft auf die Augenrollung und auf die Wahrnehmung der Lage im Raum . Z vergl Physiol 46:57-87, 1962;.
42 +
Kellogg RS, Graybiel A:  Lack of response to thermal stimulation of the semicircular canals in the weightless phase of parabolic flight , in Second Symposium on the Role of the Vestibular Organs in Space Exploration . NASA SP-115 1966;, pp 237-243.
43 +
Graybiel A, Schuknecht HF, Fregly AR, et al:  Streptomycin in Meniere's disease: Long-term follow-up . Arch Otolaryng 85:156-170, 1967;.
44 +
Nagaba M:  Electron microscopic study of semicircular canal organs and otolith organs of squirrel monkeys after administration of streptomycin sulfate . Acta Otolaryng 66:541-552, 1968;.
45 +
Linderman HH:  Regional differences in sensitivity of the vestibular sensory epithelia to otoloxic antibiotics . Acta Otolaryng 67:177-189, 1969;.
46 +
Biemond A, de Jong JMBV:  On cervical nystagmus and related disorders . Brain 92:437-458, 1969;.
47 +
Jongkees LBW:  Cervical vertigo . Laryngoscope 79:1473-1484, 1969;.
48 +
Miller EF II: Evaluation of Otolith Organ Function by Means of Ocular Counterrolling Measurements . Naval Aerospace Medical Institute NAMI 1063, NASA R-93, 1969;, p 1-14.
49 +
Suzuki J, Tokumasu K, Goto K:  Movements from single utricular nerve stimulation in the cat . Acta Otolaryng 68:350-362, 1969;.

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Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

1 +
Hunter J: Observations on Certain Parts of the Animal Economy . London, 1786;.
2 +
Barany R:  Über die vom Ohrlabyrinth ausgelöste Gegenrollung der Augen bei Normalhörenden, Orhrenkranken and Taubstummen . Arch Ohrenheilk 68:1-30, 1906;.
3 +
Benjamins CE:  L'examen de la fonction otolithique par la mesure de la contrerotation des yeux (Gegenrollung) . Rev Laryng 47:111-118, 1926;.
4 +
Grahe, K.- Raddrehung der Augen und Otolithenstellung beim Menschen . Acta Otolaryng 26:268-275, 1938;.
5 +
Fischer MH:  Messende Untersuchungen über die Gegenrollung der Augen und die Lokalisation der scheinbaren vertikalen bei seitlicher Neigung (des Kopfes, des Stammes und des Gesamtkörpers): I. Mitteilung. Neigungen bis zu 40° von Graefes Arch Ophthal 118:633-680, 1927;.
6 +
Fischer MH:  Messende Untersuchungen über die Gegenrollung der Augen und die Lokalisation der scheinbaren Vertikalen bei seitlicher Neigung des Gesamtkörpers bis zu 360°: II Mitteilung. Untersuchungen an Normalen . von Graefes Arch Ophthal 123:476-508, 1930;.
7 +
Donders FC:  Die Bewegungen des Auges, veranschaulicht durch das Panophthalmotrop . von Graefes Arch Ophthal 16:154-175, 1870;.
8 +
McCord F: The Measurement of Adjustive Eye Movements . Joint Prog. Pensacola, Fla N.M. 001063, Report No. 31 Naval School of Aerospace Medicine, 1953;.
9 +
Mulder ME:  De la rotation compensatrice de l'oeil en cas d'inclinasion à droite ou à gauche de la tête . Arch Ophthal 17:465-474, 1897;.
10 +
Quereau JVD:  Rolling of the eye around its visual axis during normal ocular movements . Arch Ophthal 53:807-810, 1955;.
11 +
Walton WG:  Compensatory cyclo-torsion accompanying head tilt . Amer J Optom 25:524-534, 1948;.
12 +
Kompanejetz S:  Investigation on the counterrolling of the eyes in optimum head-positions . Acta Otolaryng 12:332-350, 1928;.
13 +
Brecher GA:  Die optokinetische Auslösung von Augenrollung und rotatorischem Nystagmus . Pflueger Arch 234:13-28, 1934;.
14 +
Merton PA:  Compensatory rolling movements of the eye . J Physiol 132:25-27, 1956;.
15 +
Fender DH:  Torsional motions of the eyeball . Brit J Ophthal 39:65-72, 1955;.
16 +
Howard IP, Evans JA:  The measurement of eye torsion . Vision Res 3:447-455, 1963;.
17 +
Jongkees LBW:  How to examine the otoliths . Ann Otol 75:764-771, 1966;.
18 +
Jongkees JBW:  On the otoliths: Their function and the way to test them, in The Role of the Vestibular Organs in Space Exploration . NASA SP - 152:307-330, 1967;.
19 +
Benjamins CE, Nienhuis JH:  Die Raddrehungskurve beim Menschen . Arch Exp Ohr Nas Kehlkopfheilk 116:241-254, 1927;.
20 +
Miller EF:  Counterrolling of the human eyes produced by head tilt with respect to gravity . Acta Otolaryng 54:479-501, 1962;.
21 +
Schuknecht HF:  Positional vertigo: Clinical and experimental observations . Trans Amer Acad Ophthal Otolaryng 319-332, 1962;.
22 +
Harrison MD:  Benign positional vertigo , in Wolfson RJ (ed): The Vestibular System and Its Diseases . Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1966;, pp 404-427.
23 +
de Kleijn A, Magnus R:  Über die Funktion der Otolithen: II. Mitteilung. Isolierte Otolithenausschaltung bei Meerschweinchen . Pflueger Arch 186:61-81, 1921;.
24 +
Kompanjetz S:  On compensatory eye movements in deaf mutes . Acta Otolaryng 7:323-334, 1925;.
25 +
Fregly AR, Graybiel A: Labyrinthine Defects as Shown by Ataxia and Threshold Caloric Tests . NAMI-994. NASA Order R-93. Pensacola, Fla, Naval Aerospace Medical Institute, 1968;.
26 +
Kellogg RS:  Dynamic counterrolling of the eye in normal subjects and in persons with bilateral labyrinthine defects , in The Role of the Vestibular Organs in the Exploration of Space . NASA SP-77, 1965;, p 195-202.
27 +
Miller EF II, Graybiel A:  Effect of drugs on ocular counterrolling . Clin Pharmacol Therap 10: 92-99, 1969;.
28 +
Graybiel A, Woellner RC:  A new and objective method for measuring ocular torsion . Amer J Ophthal 47:349-352, 1959;.
29 +
Fischer MH:  Messende Untersuchungen über die Gegenrollung der Augen und die Lokalisation der scheinbaren Vertikalen bei seitlicher Neigung des Körpers, Kopfes und Stammes: III. Mitteilung. Untersuchungen an einem Ertaubten mit Funktionsuntüchtigkeit beiderseitigen Vestibularapparate und einem einseitig Labyrinthlosen . von Grafes Arch Ophthal 123:509-531, 1930;.
30 +
Scott AB:  Extraocular muscles and head tilting . Arch Ophthal 78:397-399, 1967;.
31 +
Nelson JR, Cope D: The effect of medial longitudinal fasciculus lesions on ocular countertorsion, to be published.
32 +
McGee TM, Olszenwski J:  Streptomycin sulfate and dihydrostreptomycin toxicity: Behavioral and histopathologic studies . Arch Otolaryng 75:295-311, 1962;.
33 +
Schuknecht HF:  Mechanism of inner ear injury from blows to the head . Ann Otol 78:253-254, 1969;.
34 +
Miller EF II, Graybiel A:  A comparison of ocular counterrolling movements between normal persons and deaf subjects with bilateral labyrinthine defects . Ann Otol 72:885-893, 1963;.
35 +
van der Hoeve J:  Relations between eye and ear (including the vestibular organ) . Arch Ophthal 1:321-337, 1922;.
36 +
Woellner RC, Graybiel A:  The loss of counterrolling of the eyes in three persons presumably without functional otolith organs . Ann Otol 69: 1006-1012, 1960;.
37 +
Bárány R:  Augenbewegungen, durch Thoraxbewegungen ausgelöst . Zbl Physiol 20:298-302, 1906;.
38 +
Howard IP, Templeton WB (eds): Human Spatial Orientation . New York, John Wiley & Sons Inc, 1966;.
39 +
Duensing F, Shaefer KP:  Uber die Konvergenz verschiedener Labyrinther Afferenzen auf einzelne Neurone die Vestibulariskerngebietes . Arch Psychiat Nervenkr 199:345-371, 1959;.
40 +
Miller EF II, Graybiel A, Kellogg RS:  Otolith organ activity within earth standard, one-half standard and zero-gravity environments . Aerospace Med 37:399-403, 1966;.
41 +
Schöne H:  Über den Einfluss der Schwerkraft auf die Augenrollung und auf die Wahrnehmung der Lage im Raum . Z vergl Physiol 46:57-87, 1962;.
42 +
Kellogg RS, Graybiel A:  Lack of response to thermal stimulation of the semicircular canals in the weightless phase of parabolic flight , in Second Symposium on the Role of the Vestibular Organs in Space Exploration . NASA SP-115 1966;, pp 237-243.
43 +
Graybiel A, Schuknecht HF, Fregly AR, et al:  Streptomycin in Meniere's disease: Long-term follow-up . Arch Otolaryng 85:156-170, 1967;.
44 +
Nagaba M:  Electron microscopic study of semicircular canal organs and otolith organs of squirrel monkeys after administration of streptomycin sulfate . Acta Otolaryng 66:541-552, 1968;.
45 +
Linderman HH:  Regional differences in sensitivity of the vestibular sensory epithelia to otoloxic antibiotics . Acta Otolaryng 67:177-189, 1969;.
46 +
Biemond A, de Jong JMBV:  On cervical nystagmus and related disorders . Brain 92:437-458, 1969;.
47 +
Jongkees LBW:  Cervical vertigo . Laryngoscope 79:1473-1484, 1969;.
48 +
Miller EF II: Evaluation of Otolith Organ Function by Means of Ocular Counterrolling Measurements . Naval Aerospace Medical Institute NAMI 1063, NASA R-93, 1969;, p 1-14.
49 +
Suzuki J, Tokumasu K, Goto K:  Movements from single utricular nerve stimulation in the cat . Acta Otolaryng 68:350-362, 1969;.

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