LOCALIZING VALUE OF VERTICAL NYSTAGMUS

Abstract

Vertical nystagmus has been considered a sign of disease in the upper portion of the brain stem, the midbrain or the pons. Thus, Stengel,¹ in 1935, reported a case of vertical nystagmus in which autopsy revealed an area of softening in the caudal part of the pons. Marburg² stated that vertical nystagmus was clinically observed in cases presenting lesions in the region of the colliculi, and Leidler³ was able experimentally to produce the same phenomenon with lesions in the cranial portion of the vestibular nuclei of rabbits. Spiegel and Scala,⁴ working with cats, brought about vertical nystagmus with lesions in the cerebellar vermis. There has recently come under our observation a case in which vertical nystagmus occurred after occlusion of the anterior spinal artery of the medulla. REPORT OF A CASE A 52 year old chief yeoman, U.S.N.R., was admitted to the hospital with the presenting