Vestibular Research

Patients with vertigo and disorders of balance are diagnosed and treated in our specialised outpatient clinic. The clinical and scientific focus of the group "Vestibular system" encompasses benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and migrainous vertigo. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is the most common cause of vertigo and leads to brief attacks of vertigo evoked by changes of head position. The introduction of specific therapeutic maneuvers by Epley and Semont has rendered it the most effective treatable cause of vertigo nowadays. Currently, we are evaluating various procedures for treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in prospective randomised trials. Migrainous vertigo is probably the most common cause of recurrent vertigo in young adults. Migrainous vertigo can manifest with spontaneous and positional vertigo and is typically accompanied by migrainous complaints (i.e. headache, photophobia). The development of diagnostic criteria by our group facilitates the recognition of this vestibular disorder. Research on migrainous vertigo includes functional imaging during the acute episode and genetic studies.

Scientific projects

– Therapy of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

– Otolith function of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

– Clinical and oculographic findings in migrainous vertigo

– fMRI in patients with migrainous vertigo and vestibular neuritis

– Genetics of migrainous vertigo

– Epidemiology of vestibular disorders

– Identification of human vestibular cortex in fMRI with vestibular and neck-proprioceptive stimulation

Cooperations

– Andrew Clarke PhD
Labor für experimentelle Gleichgewichtsforschung
Klinikum Benjamin Franklin, Freie Universität Berlin.

– Prof. Adolfo Bronstein MD PhD
Department of Neuro-otology, Charing Cross Hospital London.

– Prof. Michael Gresty PhD,

– Thomas Sander MD
Gene Mapping Center, Max-Delbrück-Centrum Berlin.

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Selected Publications

Neuhauser H, Radtke A, von Brevern M, Lempert T.

Zolmitriptan for treatment of migrainous vertigo- a pilot randomised placebo-controlled trial.
Neurology 2003; 60: 882.

von Brevern M, Neuhauser H, Lempert T.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: are roller coasters really beneficial?
Lancet 2003; 361: 701-702.

von Brevern M, Lezius F, Tiel-Wilck K, Lempert T.

Zur ärztlichen Versorgung von Patienten mit benignem paroxysmalen Lagerungsschwindel.
Nervenarzt 2002;73:538-542.

Radtke A, Lempert T, Gresty MA, Brookes GB, Bronstein AM, Neuhauser H.

Migraine and Ménière’s disease. Is there a link?
Neurology 2002; 59:1700-1707.

von Brevern M, Clarke AH, Lempert T.

Spontaneous nystagmus and spontaneous nystagmus due to canalolithiasis of the horizontal canal.
Neurology 2001; 56: 684-686.

von Brevern M, Lempert T.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
Arch Neurol 2001; 58: 1491-1493.

Neuhauser H, Leopold M, von Brevern M, Arnold G, Lempert T.

The interrelations of migraine, vertigo and migrainous vertigo.
Neurology 2001;56:436-441.

Radtke A, Neuhauser H, von Brevern M, Lempert, T.

A modified Epley’s procedure for self-treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
Neurology 1999; 53: 1358-1360.

von Brevern M, Lempert T, Bronstein AM, Kocen R.

Selective vestibular damage in neurosarcoidosis.
Ann Neurol 1997; 42: 117-120.

von Brevern M, Faldon M, Brookes G, Gresty MA.

Evaluation of 3D semicircular canal function by perception of rotation.
Am J Otol 1997; 18: 484-493.

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