Multiple sclerosis (MS) may give rise to a variety of clinical signs and symptoms including vertigo and/or other problems related with equilibrium and eye movement desorders very often responsible for great disability.
Videonystagmography (VNG) is an objective method of assessing nystagmus by recording of eye movements.
In this study, we aimed to evaluate clinical and videonystagmographical (VNG) characteristics of MS patients, and to analyse the correlation with brainstem and cerebellum lesions.
By using VNG registration, we aim to specify the frequency of nystagmus, eye movement impairments and vestibular reflexes abnormalities in our MS patients.
It’s a prospective study including 20 patients (5 men and 25 women) who are diagnosed as definite multiple sclerosis, over a period of 6 months (from November 2019 to April 2020).
Our patients underwent neurological and otological examination, and videonystagmography (VNG) apart from relapses.
The vestibular testing was carried out by a videonystagmograph ULMER (functional exploration department; univerity Hospital Hassan II).
The VNG tests performed are: the search of spontaneous nystagmus, test of saccades, tracking, optokinetic nystagmus, gaze, rotary, caloric and vibrator test.
Vestibular symptoms were present in 75% of the cases. True vertigo was less common than other balance disorders. Two types of nystagmus have been found: pendular nystagmus and a central positional nystagmus.
The main VNG manifestations are linked to subclinical abnormalities of eye movements: saccadic movements impairments were found in almost 80% of the cases (increased latency, saccadic dysmetria…), smooth pursuit test was abnormal in 60% of the cases, and optokinetic nystagmus was pathological in 55% of cases. Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) was impaired in 50% of cases.
VNG is sensitive in assessing the involvement of the vestibular system in MS patients, especially regarding eye movement abnormalities.