Behavior of the nystagmus in Menière's attack.

Continuous controls of the nystagmus were carried out from the beginning of Menière's attack. There are four different forms of development. As to the direction of the nystagmus and the directional change of nystagmus during an attack, respectively, a possible neurophysiologic explanation can be offered: due to an increased concentration of potassium in the perilymphatic space during a Menière attack there is a depolarization of the synapse between the vestibular receptive cell and the afferent nerve fiber. The potassium concentration determines the extent of depolarization and thus the direction of the nystagmus.