Vestibular Dysfunctions in Vestibular Migraine Evaluated by Rotatory
Chair Test

Park,  Ji Yun; Oh,  Byeong Cheo; Lee,  Tae Kyeong; Sung,  Ki Bum

Research in Vestibular Science > Volume 14(4); 2015 > Article

Original Article

Research in Vestibular Science 2015;14(4): 123-131.

회전의자 검사로 평가한 전정 편두통의 전정계 기능 이상

, , , 박지윤1, 오병철1, 이태경2, 성기범2

1서남대학교 전주예수병원 신경과, 2순천향대학교 의과대학 순천향대학교 부천병원 신경과

Vestibular Dysfunctions in Vestibular Migraine Evaluated by Rotatory Chair Test

Ji Yun Park, Byeong Cheo Oh, Tae Kyeong Lee, Ki Bum Sung

¹Department of Neurology, Presbyterian Medical Center, Seonam University, Jeonju, Korea.
²Department of Neurology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, Korea. sungkb@schmc.ac.kr

ABSTRACT

Objective:   There have been several efforts to elucidate the pathophysiology of the vestibular migraine (VM). But, there is no consistent result. This study was to identify the possible pathophysiology of VM by comparing vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) parameters between VM, and the tension type headache (TTH) patients. In addition, we compared VOR parameters between ictal and interictal period in the VM group.
Method:   Seventy eight patients were included: 44 having VM and 34 TTH. Three parameters (gain, asymmetry, and phase) of the horizontal VOR rotating at 60 degrees were measured. In 10 VM patients VOR parameters were obtained twice sequentially first in the ictal and second in the interictal period.
Results:   Although the average of the VOR gain in VM group was lower than that of TTH group but there was no statistical significance. An asymmetry of the VOR was significantly higher in VM group. There were various changes in other VOR parameters between ictal and interictal periods with no consistent trends.
Conclusion:   We could deduce that VM patients might have subclinical vestibular dysfunction from the reduced gain and increased asymmetry of the VOR in the interictal period. Dynamic changes of the VOR in the ictal period could be responsible for dizziness in VM patients, which are caused by the pathological alteration of the physiologic plasticity of the VOR.

Keywords: Migraine; Vestibular function tests; Vestibulo-ocular reflex