Eye movements have been the chief emphasis of this past year's activities, and collaboration with other ocular motor research centers has been a major strategy. The miscellaneous observations can be represented only sketchily in a summary. Congenital nystagmus was found to be associated at times with decreased vestibular gain. The mechanism of congenital nystagmus is most likely a "miswiring" at the mesencephalic level. Its varied forms can be simulated by the computer. The vertical saccades in Parinaud's syndrome are normal within their limited excursions. Ocular motor palsies in one eye can evoke horizontal oscillations in the non-paralyzed eye. Saccadic velocities were found to be a good index of drug sensitivity in normal persons and in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy. Other observations included: documentation of ocular abnormalities in Turner's syndrome; a functional interpretation of head-turning in spasmus nutans; a graphic method of recording the Lancaster red-green test for ocular palsies; down-beat nystagmus precipitated by carbamazepine in a patient with the Arnold-Chiari syndrome; and the absence of the near-reflex in an otherwise healthy adolescent.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter