Whiplash effects on brain: Optokinetic nystagmus and visuo-vestibular interaction

Abstract

Different papers [1-5] suggest the existence of complex peripheral and, overall, central alterations in the vestibular system as a consequence of a trauma in the cervical portion. Thus we studied optokinetic and visual vestibular system behavior in subjects who previously underwent a cervical whiplash injury. The results of our research could be both interesting from a clinical point of view and useful for medicolegal goals. Our methods could be suitable for pointing out alterations in central sites as it is known that the nystagmus resulting from the contemporary optokinetic and roto-acceleration stimulation with counterdirectional nystagmus is significantly weakened in brain stem and cerebellar lesions and more widely in the presence of lesions in the posterior cranial fossa [6-9]. The visuo-vestibular interaction has not yet been adopted in the study of cervical whiplash injury.