Rotation tests for nystagmus

This test for nystagmus involves accelerating and decelerating the patient in a rotating chair.

As the chair is accelerated a nystagmus is set up with the quick component in the direction of rotation. Once steady speed is achieved a post-rotation nystagmus is apparent with the fast component in the opposite direction. Upon deceleration, nystagmus is set up in the direction opposite to that of rotation and after the chair has stopped a second post-rotatory nystagmus is evident for a few seconds.

The vestibular threshold can be assessed by alteration of the angular velocity of the chair. The chair can be rotated in both directions.

Vestibular neuronitis and other unilateral peripheral lesions can produce asymmetrical results and congenital deafness or drug-induced ototoxicity cause decreased or absent responses.