Nystagmus: Causes & Reasons

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Possible Causes for Nystagmus

Ménière Disease

Periodic alternating nystagmus (PAN) is a spontaneous horizontal nystagmus that reverses direction periodically. PAN has been reported in acquired and congenital forms. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

The spontaneous nystagmus and the dynamic VOR changes were measured by the video head impulse test (VHIT) at different stages of the vertigo crisis and during the quiescent [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Periodic alternating nystagmus is a rare central nervous system disorder in which the eyes undergo a horizontal jerk nystagmus that periodically reverses direction. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Nystagmus is named by the direction of the fast phase. [emedicine.com]

"Nystagmus intensity" evaluation allows distinguishing the geotropic variant from the apogeotropic one, while the "nystagmus direction" allows identification of the side. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Vertical nystagmus occurs in patients with central vestibular system pathology. Lesions of the pons, medulla, and cerebellum lead to vertical nystagmus. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Cerebellar Stroke

It is important to observe the nystagmus periodically after onset. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Remaining 8 patients were also symptomatic for vertigo, but they had spontaneous nystagmus. The latter group was called "disease control." [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

In the author's experience, these patients often exhibit rebound nystagmus, which is a variant of gaze-evoked nystagmus. [dizziness-and-balance.com]

Vestibular Neuronitis

It is suggested that the direction of nystagmus depends upon the severity of each vestibular dysfunction. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Gaze Nystagmus Mild right-beating nystagmus was noted in gaze up and gaze right. No nystagmus was recorded in gaze down or gaze left. [audiologyonline.com]

In the case with a short period before the second attack, the direction of nystagmus was unchanged throughout the clinical course. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency

The effect of these drugs on vestibular nystagmus was studied in Alsatian dogs before and after occluding one vertebral artery. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

An abnormal positional nystagmus was observed when he rotated his head to the left. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

The effect of the two drugs on the vestibular nystagmus was studied in Alsatian dogs before and after occluding one vertebral artery. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Labyrinthitis

Nystagmus type: Nystagmus is spontaneous. It is usually fine horizontal but may be mixed horizontal-torsional. [patient.info]

At times, they would just wiggle back and forth in a classic horizontal nystagmus, though always to the left. [complexchild.org]

Nystagmus which changes direction on eccentric gaze (i.e., right beating nystagmus with right gaze and left beating nystagmus with left gaze, with or without nystagmus with [clinicaladvisor.com]

Cerebellar Infarction

To define the characteristics and mechanism of head-shaking nystagmus in central vestibulopathies, we investigated spontaneous nystagmus and head-shaking nystagmus in 72 patients [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

(SN) or direction changed bidirectional gaze-evoked nystagmus (GEN). [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Additionally, multidirectional nystagmus also referred to as gaze-evoked or direction-changing nystagmus, encompasses a change in the direction of nystagmus, depending on [symptoma.com]

Brain Stem Infarction

In the author's experience, these patients often exhibit rebound nystagmus, which is a variant of gaze-evoked nystagmus. [dizziness-and-balance.com]

She eventually woke up but had very profound neurological findings including ataxia and a disjunctive nystagmus. [dizziness-and-balance.com]

Upbeat nystagmus may occur. Small vessel disease (diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia) is the usual cause. Pontine hyperintense lesions. [tchain.com]

Central Positional Vertigo

The direction of nystagmus is important for the diagnosis of central paroxysmal positioning nystagmus (cPPV). Neuro-Ophthalmology, Vol. 21, Issue. 2, p. 97. [cambridge.org]

The first case had combined torsional and horizontal nystagmus to the right in a head-hanging position. The nystagmus lacked latency and did not diminish easily. [jstage.jst.go.jp]

[…] positioning nystagmus (cPPV). [link.springer.com]

Wernicke Encephalopathy

An examination revealed spontaneous upbeat nystagmus ( Video 1 ), gaze-evoked nystagmus ( Video 2 ), and gait ataxia. She had no ophthalmoplegia. [nejm.org]

The oculomotor manifestations are: nystagmus, bilateral lateral rectus palsies, and conjugate gaze palsies reflecting cranial nerve involvement of the oculomotor, abducens [emedicine.medscape.com]

Wernicke's encephalopathy Pathology Symptoms nystagmus, gaze palsies, and ophthalmoplegia, especially of the lateral rectus muscles), gait ataxia, confusion, confabulation [house.wikia.com]

Leigh's Disease

The authors present the case of a 9-year-old girl with dorsal midbrain syndrome causing convergence retraction nystagmus. [healio.com]

A 4 1/2-month-old girl suffered from psychomotor retardation, generalized hypotonia, poor feeding, hyperreflexia, nystagmus, optical atrophy and choreoathetosis from the age [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Extraocular movements showed greatly reduced pursuit and saccades in elevation and convergence–retraction nystagmus on attempted up gaze. [healio.com]

Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy

There was no pathologic nystagmus or saccadic dysmetria. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

[…] uptake deficiency on single photon emission computed tomography scans had poorer performances on three of the four subscores (static equilibrium, dynamic equilibrium and nystagmus [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

[…] positional down-beat nystagmus). [orpha.net]

Subclavian Steal Syndrome

No cases of spontaneous nystagmus were observed. The positional nystagmus could be an isolated finding, in VBI, even if there were no other neurological signs 11. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

[…] report the case of a 56-year-old man who presented with arterial hypotension, lightheadedness, vomiting, a sense of tingling in his right arm, and a right-beating horizontal nystagmus [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

During ENG, no spontaneous nystagmus was found and, in the position of Rose 4, a positional vertical down-beating nystagmus was noted with the head turned left, middle and [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

Nystagmus (usually horizontal) is the most common ocular finding. Prominent nystagmus in the abducting eye is characteristic of internuclear ophthalmoplegia. [clinicaladvisor.com]

Ophthalmologic examination showed decreased visual acuity, upbeat nystagmus, diplopia and retinal hemorrhage. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

We report the case of a 40-year-old alcoholic male patient, hospitalized with an acute ataxia of stance and gait, ocular muscle weakness with nystagmus and a global apathetic-confusional [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Acute Cerebellar Ataxia

A 54-year-old woman with adenocarcinoma of the lung and lymph node metastasis experienced nystagmus and cerebellar ataxia 2 weeks after initiating nivolumab therapy. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Horizontal nystagmus is present is approximately 50% of cases. [en.wikipedia.org]

This patient developed symptoms of ACA, including nausea, vertigo, severe limb and truncal ataxia, and bilateral spontaneous continuous horizontal nystagmus with irregular [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Alcoholic Cerebellar Degeneration

Most nystagmus has a fast phase and a slow phase (termed “jerk” nystagmus). By convention, the direction of the nystagmus is defined by the direction of the fast phase. [geekymedics.com]

Nystagmus - fast component to the side of the lesion and worse on looking to side of lesion. Hypotonia - decreased muscle tone. [medexam.net]

Inherited periodic ataxia, dysarthria, nystagmus and vertigo. [patient.info]

Syringomyelia - Syringobulbia

Arnold-Chiari malformation nystagmus nystagmus of skew eye movement recordings Statistics from Altmetric.com Arnold-Chiari malformation nystagmus nystagmus of skew eye movement [jnnp.bmj.com]

There is no rebound nystagmus -- he has a right-beating nystagmus that remains direction fixed on centering. [dizziness-and-balance.com]

Dizziness, vertigo, disturbance of hearing and nystagmus may develop. [patient.info]

Cerebellar Neoplasm

This patient was very unsteady and had strong positional nystagmus due to removal of her cerebellar nodulus. [dizziness-and-balance.com]

Clinical features include ataxia, headache, nausea, dizzyness, nystagmus, diplopia, papilledema, etc. [icd10data.com]

[…] altered mental status, circling, pacing, head pressing, head turn, contralateral postural reaction deficits, blindness Brainstem Altered mental status, circling, head tilt, nystagmus [vetbook.org]

Machado-Joseph Disease

The frequency of nystagmus was calculated for the 3 groups. RESULTS: Nystagmus was present in 88% of the MJD patients. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

In the five non-MJD patients standard caloric testing elicited nystagmus. The presence of caloric induced nystagmus made the irrigation of ice water unnecessary. [jnnp.bmj.com]

Electronystagmographic (ENG) abnormalities included bilateral gaze nystagmus, saccadic pursuit and failure of fixation suppression suggestive of cerebellar-brainstem pathology [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 13

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 13 (SCA13) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder, which, like other types of SCA, is characterized by dysarthria, nystagmus, and ataxia of gait [en.wikipedia.org]

Signs and symptoms SCA13 is typified by early onset, mildly progressive cerebellar ataxia with accompanying dysarthria, mental retardation, and nystagmus. [ipfs.io]

Spinocerebellar ataxia 1 See the list below: Clinical features Onset in the fourth decade of life Gait ataxia, dysarthria, dysmetria, nystagmus, peripheral neuropathy, muscle [emedicine.com]

Arnold-Chiari Malformation

Examination showed horizontal-torsional jerk nystagmus in all positions of gaze. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Eye movement recordings in two patients with Arnold-Chiari malfomation type 1 showed, in addition to downbeat and gaze evoked nystagmus, intermittent nystagmus of skew. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

This herniation of the brainstem causes down-beat nystagmus and oscillopsia, the most commonly presenting sign and symptom, respectively. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease

[…] in two patients in whom the waveform of the nystagmus was not obvious on inspection. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Over 95% have nystagmus but the age of onset does not predict clinical severity. The nystagmus is usually pendular but can have horizontal or rotor components. [patient.info]

He had nystagmus and psychomotor delay since infancy and tremor with ataxia developing gradually. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Viral Labyrinthitis

On physical exam a horizontal nystagmus is observed. [medbullets.com]

[…] properties of the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (h-VOR) in the acute stage of two common labyrinthine diseases that provoke severe attacks of vertigo with spontaneous nystagmus [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

History of a recent viral infection is common Presentation Symptoms acute onset of severe, contiguous vertigo nausea vomiting tinnitus hearing loss Physical exam horizontal nystagmus [medbullets.com]

Hereditary Nystagmus

References Article Title: Incidence and Types of Pediatric Nystagmus Nash DL, Diehl NN, Mohney BG. Incidence and Types of Pediatric Nystagmus. [disorders.eyes.arizona.edu]

See Caloric nystagmus, Irritative nystagmus, Paralytic nystagmus, Recovery nystagmus, Opticokinetic nystagmus, Seesaw nystagmus. nys·tag·mus ( nis-tag'mŭs ) Rhythmic oscillation [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]

[…] of nystagmus. [disorders.eyes.arizona.edu]

Serous Labyrinthitis

Edit this paragraph signs and symptoms, vertigo, nystagmus, nausea, vomiting, nystagmus horizontal rotation, the the nystagmus direction toward the sick side, toward the healthy [e.uuuwell.com]

nystagmus). [ebooksread.com]

This type of jerk nystagmus has been termed "optokinetic" nystagmus or "railway" nystagmus. The other major type of nystagmus is termed "pendular" nystagmus. [dartmouth.edu]

Suppurative Labyrinthitis

Stimulation of the labyrinth results in nystagmus and vertigo. [gradestack.com]

Is characterized by the appearance of the labyrinth spontaneous nystagmus. [medicalency.com]

Defining nystagmus Nystagmus is the involuntary, rapid and repeated movement of the eyes. [bpac.org.nz]

Thiamine Deficiency

Moreover, quantitative data has shown decreased horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain and nystagmus, with a favorable response to timely treatment. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

A 24-year-old woman with a large cell anaplastic CD 30-positive T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) developed downbeat nystagmus, anisocoria, and oscillopsia. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Classically, Wernicke encephalopathy is characterized by confusion (encephalopathy), ataxia, and nystagmus. [pixorize.com]

Cogan Syndrome

Congenital oculomotor apraxia type Cogan II is characterized by impairment of horizontal voluntary eye movements and optokinetic nystagmus. [neocyst.de]

Gaze-Evoked Nystagmus Definition Gaze-evoked nystagmus is the result of a gaze-holding deficit. [clicktocurecancer.info]

The reading scan was disturbed by saccadic intrusions and/or nystagmus. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Brain Stem Disorder

In the author's experience, these patients often exhibit rebound nystagmus, which is a variant of gaze-evoked nystagmus. [dizziness-and-balance.com]

Upbeat nystagmus may occur. Small vessel disease (diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia) is the usual cause. Pontine hyperintense lesions. [tchain.com]

Abstract Three siblings presented with a progressive neurological disorder beginning in the third decade of life and characterised by palatal myoclonus, nystagmus, bulbar [jnnp.bmj.com]

Labyrinthine Concussion

Slight nystagmus on fistula test is indicative of oval or round window fistulae while strong nystagmus can indicate superior semicircular canal dehiscence. [symptoma.com]

Nystagmus is typically horizontal or torsional and direction-fixed. [journals.lww.com]

Nystagmus and alteration in hearing are a prerequisite to label the condition as labyrinthine concussion. [symptoma.com]