Audible Range Oculocometry for Assessment of Vestibular Function

• US 20080015462A1
• Filed: 06/01/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Eye And Ear Infirmary (Foundation of The Massachusetts Eye and EAR Infirmary Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Eye And Ear Infirmary (Foundation of The Massachusetts Eye and EAR Infirmary Incorporated), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Merfeld, Daniel, Saginaw, Michael, Haburcakova, Csilla
• Granted Patent: US 7,789,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/559
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]

Abstract

A method for assessing vestibular system function includes stimulating the inner ear with an audible range signal; collecting data representative of audible range ocular motion; and on the basis of the data, evaluating vestibular system function.

Claims

1. A method for assessing vestibular system function, the method comprising:

stimulating the inner ear with an audible range signal;

collecting data representative of audible range ocular motion; and

on the basis of the data, evaluating vestibular system function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting data comprises obtaining a video signal representative of ocular motion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting data comprises obtaining an induction signal representative of ocular motion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting data comprises obtaining an electro-oculographic signal representative of ocular motion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising low-pass filtering the collected data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein low-pass filtering the collected data comprises passing the data through a Bessel filter having cut-off frequencies between 500 and 3000 Hz.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the vestibular system comprises exposing the vestibular system to an acoustic signal having a fundamental frequency in the audible range.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the vestibular system comprises exposing the vestibular system to an electrical signal having a fundamental frequency in the audible range.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the vestibular system comprises exposing the vestibular system to bone conduction stimulation having a fundamental frequency in the audible range.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the vestibular system comprises exposing the vestibular system to a head vibration having a fundamental frequency in the audible range.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the vestibular system comprises exposing the vestibular system to magnetic stimulation having a fundamental frequency in the audible range.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the vestibular system comprises exposing the vestibular system to a signal having a fundamental frequency between about 250 Hz and 1000 Hz.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the vestibular system comprises exposing the vestibular system to a signal having a fundamental frequency above about 50 Hz.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein stimulating the vestibular system comprises exposing the vestibular system to a signal having a fundamental frequency of about 350 Hz.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting data comprises collecting data indicative of a direction of ocular motion.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating inner ear function comprises detecting dehiscence of the semi-circular canal.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating inner ear function comprises detecting the presence of a third window in the inner ear.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating inner ear function comprises detecting a fistula.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating inner ear function comprises detecting hydrops.

20. A system for assessing vestibular function, the system comprising:

an oculocometer configured to measure audible range eye movements;

a vestibular stimulator configured to generate an audible range stimulus; and

a data processing system in communication with the oculocometer and the vestibular stimulator, the data processing system being configured to analyze audible range eye movement.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the oculocometer comprises a videographic oculocometer.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the oculocometer comprises an induction oculocometer.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the vestibular stimulator comprises an acoustic signal source.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the vestibular stimulator comprises an electrical signal source.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the vestibular stimulator comprises a mechanical stimulator for exposing the vestibular system to bone conduction stimulation.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the vestibular stimulator comprises a mechanical stimulator for exposing the vestibular system to a head vibration.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the vestibular stimulator comprises a magnetic stimulator for exposing the vestibular system to magnetic stimulation.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the vestibular stimulator is configured to generate a stimulus having a fundamental frequency above 50 Hz.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the vestibular stimulator is configured to generate a stimulus having a fundamental frequency of about 350 Hz.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the vestibular stimulator is configured to generate a stimulus having a fundamental frequency between 250 Hz and 1000 Hz.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein the vestibular stimulator is configured to generate a repetitive stimulus having frequency content in the audible range.

32. The system of claim 20, wherein the vestibular stimulator is configured to provide repeated pulsatile stimulation having frequency content in the audible range.

33. The system of claim 20, further comprising a filter for filtering data acquired by the oculocometer.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the filter comprises a low-pass filter having a cut-off frequency above 50 Hz.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the low-pass filter comprises a Bessel filter.

36. A system for assessing vestibular function, the system comprising:

means for measuring audible range eye movements;

means for stimulating the vestibular system with an audio range stimulus; and

a data processing system in communication with the measuring means and the stimulating means, the data processing system being configured to analyze audible range eye movement.