Central Causes for Vertigo

Central Causes for Vertigo
John Rutka

This lecture looks at the causes for central vertigo and the common causes that we have identified in the multidisciplinary neurotology clinic at the University Health Network over the past 25 years. It is a highly visual lecture with numerous videos demonstrating abnormal central eye movement abnormalities ( ie gaze evoked nystagmus, downbeat nystagmus, intranuclear ophthalmoplegia, ocular flutter etc). Some time is spent discussing the newly recognized syndrome of cerebellar ataxia with bilateral vestibulopathy (CABV). Overall central causes for vertigo are relatively rare. To a large degree the common causes for central vertigo seem related to decade of age ( ie MS between ages 30-50 years vs multisensory deficits at ages greater than 80 years).