Disorders of the Vestibular System

This is an up-to-date, comprehensive review of disorders of the vestibular system written by leaders in the field. The book is divided into four parts: basic vestibular mechanisms, clinical evaluation, common vestibular diseases, and treatment of vertigo. Part I reviews the anatomy and physiology of the vestibular system with emphasis on clinically relevant material. Part II describes features in the patient's history, examination, and laboratory evaluation that help the clinician determine the probable site of lesion and likely pathophysiology. The history is emphasized since it is the critical first step for understanding the patient's complaints. Part III covers the differential diagnosis and specific treatments of common neurological disorders. One chapter provides an overview of the common neurological syndromes seen in neurotology. Part IV discusses general principles of treatment that are relevant to all vestibular disorders. This book should be useful to all physicians who treat patients complaining of dizziness. It can be used as a text by students entering the field or as a comprehensive source of reference for those in internal medicine, family practice, otolaryngology, neurology, head and neck surgery, and neurosurgery.

Table of Contents:
PART I: BASIC VESTIBULAR MECHANISMS; 1. How does the vestibular part of the inner ear work?; 2. What is the vestibul-ocular reflex and why do we need it?; 3. How does the vestibular-oculo reflex work?; 4. How does the brain generate horizontal vestibular nystagmus?; 5. How does the brain detect and respond to head movements in three dimensions?; 6. How does the visual system interact with the vestibulo-ocular reflex?; 7. How and why does the vestibulo-ocular reflex adapt?; 8. How does the linear vestibulo-ocular reflex compare with the angular vestibulo-ocular reflex?; 9. How do the vestibulo-spinal reflexes work?; 10. How does the cerebral cortex process and utilize vestibular signals?; 11. How do vestibular disorders affect spatial orientation and motion perception?; 12. What neurotransmitters are important in the vestibular system?; 13. How does the brain compensate for vestibular lesions?; PART II: CLINICAL EVALUATION; 14. History I: Clinical Evaluation; 15. History II: The patient with vertigo; 16. Bedside examination; 17. Laboratory evaluation I: ENG and rotational testing; 18. Laboratory evaluation II: Auditory function; 19. Laboratory evaluation III: Imaging; 20. Vestibular tests in evolution I: Otolith testing; 21. Vestibular tests in evolution II: Posturography; 22. Vestibular tests in evolution III: Vestibular evoked potentials; PART III: COMMON VESTIBULAR DISORDERS AND DISEASES; 23. An Overview of the common syndromes of vestibular disease; 24. Menieres Syndrome; 25. Acute unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy; 26. Benign positional vertigo; 27. Infections of the ear and temporal bone; 28. Hereditary vestibulopathies; 29. Vestibulotoxic drugs and other causes of acquired bilateral peripheral vestibulopathy; 30. Autoimmune inner ear disease; 31. Post-traumatic vertigo; 32. Perilymphatic fistula; 33. Migraine-associated vertigo; 34. Vestibular disorders due to cerebrovascular disease; 35. Cerebellar ataxia syndromes; 36. Brain tumors and balance disorders; 37. Cerebellopontine angle tumors; 38. Vestibular disorders due to multiple sclerosis, Arnold-Chiari malformations and basal ganglia disorders; 39. Physiologic and psychophysiologic vertigo; 40. Psychiatric aspects of vestibular disorders; 41. The neurochemical basis of motion sickness and its treatment and prevention; PART IV: TREATMENT OF VERTIGO; 42. Drug therapy of vertigo; 43. Surgical Procedures: Endolymphatic shunt, vestibular nerve section and labyrinthectomy; 44. Surgical procedures for benign positional vertigo; 45. Transtympanic aminoglycoside treatment in Meniere's disease; 46. Vestibular rehabilitation