Behavioral and nystagmus response of a hyperkinetic child to vestibular stimulation.

Abstract

A five-year-old boy, referred for hyperkinetic behavior, was tested for vestibular function before and after a four-week regime of controlled semicircular canal stimulation. Hyperkinetic behavior was assessed both during and after the four-week treatment period. Initial testing showed that semicircular canal function was normal, but that two measurable central nervous system mechanisms representing integration of the sensory signal were not at a normal level. Behavioral instruments demonstrated an improvement in symptoms of hyperkinetic behavior. It is postulated that the behavioral improvement resulted from an increase in task-relevant arousal in the reticular formation, accompanied by increased cortical inhibition.