Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  1998 Jul;41(7):851-855.

The Effects of Dimenhydrinate on Eye Tracking Tests and VOR

• Chung YS
• Chung WK

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dimenhydrinate is known to act on the vestibular system, causing vestiular suppression. But the effects related with therapeutic dosage on eye tracking tests and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) are not clear yet. We performed this study to evaluate the effects of dimenhyrinate on eye tracking tests and VOR.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Twenty five healthy subjects, comprising of 12 men and 13 women between the ages of 15 and 69 (mean age=39) participated in this study. The assessment included saccade test, smooth pursuit test, optokinetic nystagmus test for eye tracking test and sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test for VOR test. Each test was performed before, and 2 hours and 4 hours after the oral intake of dimenhydrinate (therapeutic dosage: 50 mg). The subjects were kept alert by performing a calculation task and communicating with the investigator during tests.
RESULTS
Analysis of results showed that latency was prolonged after 2 hours but was returned to initiae value after 4 hours. Gain was not changed in the saccade test as well as in the smooth pursuit test. Mean slow phase eye velocity (SPEV) decreased after 4 hours in optokinetic nystagmus test. Gain and phase lead decreased only at 0.01 Hz in sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test.
CONCLUSION
Dimenhydrinate had minimal effects on eye tracking tests and VOR when the patient's alertness was kept during test.

Keyword

Dimenhydrinate; Eye tracking tests; VOR

MeSH Terms

Acceleration
Dimenhydrinate*
Female
Humans
Male
Nystagmus, Optokinetic
Pursuit, Smooth
Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular
Research Personnel
Saccades
Dimenhydrinate