PubMed1979
The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the influence of the mesencephalic oculomotor system regulation on orthostatic postural regulation. The body at rest is never immobile but it swings continuosly. The amplitudes and the frequencies of body sway give an indication of the function of the different sensorimotor loops which are involved in body balance. An apparatus, the statokinesimeter, allows us to record these motions by means of displacement of the body's centre of gravity with respect to the centre of the basis. In the case of head or cervical injuries, the brain stem is often implicated giving a partial nuclear unilateral lesion of the III nucleus; double vision of a few degrees with picture separation of never more than 4 degrees occurs. A compensory deviation of the head follows. A conflict between afferents from the III, IV, VI, VII, XI and supraspinal nuclei occurs. The amplitude and the frequency of the body sway change. A form of treatment is proposed for the 'pseudo-vertigo' of post-concussional syndrome.