Caloric reflex test
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
In medicine, the caloric reflex test is a test of the vestibulo-ocular reflex. It is used by audiologists and other trained professionals to validate a diagnosis of asymmetric function in the peripheral vestibular system. Calorics are usually a subtest of the electronystagmography (ENG) test battery.
Technique and results
It involves irrigating cold or warm water or air into the external auditory canal.
- If the water is cold (30oC) the eyes turn toward the ipsilateral ear, with horizontal nystagmus (quick horizontal eye movements) to the contralateral ear.[1][2]
- If the water is warm (44oC) the eyes turn toward the contralateral ear, with horizontal nystagmus to the ipsilateral ear.
- Absent reactive eye movement suggests vestibular weakness of the horizontal semicircular canal of the side being stimulated.
Mnemonic
Mnemonics are common in the medical literature. One mnemonic used to remember the direction of nystamgus is COWS.[3]
COWS: Cold water = nystagmus to the Opposite side, Warm water = nystagmus to the Same side.
See also
References
- ↑ Bardorf CM, Van Stavern GP. Nystagmus, Acquired. eMedicine.com. URL: http://www.emedicine.com/oph/topic339.htm. Accessed on: August 17, 2006.
- ↑ Narenthiran G. Neurosurgery Quiz. Annals of Neurosurgery. URL: http://www.annals-neurosurgery.org/quiz/nsq2/#a3. Accessed on: August 17, 2006.
- ↑ Webb C (1985). "COWS caloric test.". Ann Emerg Med 14 (9): 938. PMID 4026002.
External links
Nervous system physiology: neurophysiology - reflex | |
|---|---|
| Cranial nerve | midbrain: Pupillary light reflex - Accommodation reflex pons/medulla: Jaw jerk reflex - Corneal reflex - Caloric reflex test/Vestibulo-ocular reflex - Gag reflex |
| Tendon reflexes | upper limb: Biceps reflex - Brachioradialis reflex - Extensor digitorum reflex - Triceps reflex lower limb: Patellar reflex - Ankle jerk reflex - Plantar reflex |
| Primitive reflexes | Galant - Grasp - Moro - Rooting - Stepping - Sucking - Tonic neck |
| Other | Baroreflex - Acoustic reflex - H-reflex - Oculocardiac reflex - Stretch reflex - Startle reaction - Optokinetic - Withdrawal reflex - Crossed extensor reflex |
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