1983 Volume 76 Issue 9special Pages 2401-2406
The galvanic body sway test (GBST) was performed in 15 normal subjects and patients with vertigo or disequilibrium indicative of canal paresis and of bilaterally depressed responses to the caloric test. In normal subjects, galvanic body sway responses appeared at stimulations of 0.2mA or less. The average threshold intensity for galvanic body sway responses of normal subjects was 0.09±0.1mA. Uni- or bilaterally depressed responses to GBST were found in 19 patients (37.2%) as follows: vascular disorder of the brain in 4, cerebello pontine angle tumor in 3, head trauma in 3, unilateral deafness in 3, sudden deafness with vertigo in 2 and others in 4. Patients with inner ear disorders such as Meniere's disease showed normal responses to the test.
In 13 patients with abnormal GBST, central equilibrium disorders such as abnormal OKN or ETT, down beat nystagmus, caloric perversion and/or positional nystagmus (direction-changing type) were observed. In those with abnormal responses to GBST, the number of central equilibrium disorders was significantly more than that of those with normal GBST responses.
Our clinical study seemed to indicate that GBST may provide information different from the caloric test for the diagnosis of vestibular disorders and may be useful not only for the diagnosis of vestibular neuronitis but also for the diagnosis of some central disorder of the vestibular system.
