Vestibular neuronitis--its clinical characteristics.

Several parts of a nationwide survey of the epidemiology of vestibular neuronitis were reported. Follow-up studies of vestibular neuronitis were made. The computed galvanic body-sway test (Yamaguchi University) obtained from 10 patients with vestibular neuronitis showed a peculiar 'slow and sluggish' pattern. In the course of the illness, this slow and sluggish pattern changed its appearance and soon resembled the pattern obtained from the opposite, healthy side. Improvement of the abnormal pattern was observed in 7 patients (observation period 6 months to 6 years, averaging 33 months). 3 other patients (observation period 1 month to 1 year, averaging 5.3 months) showed no improvement in the pattern. These findings suggest that the conductivity of the vestibular nerve affected by vestibular neuronitis has an increasing chance for recovery.