post-rotational nystagmus
A doctor observes a patient's post-rotational nystagmus after a balance test.
Noun: A type of involuntary eye movement (nystagmus) that occurs immediately after a person or subject is suddenly stopped from a state of rapid, sustained rotation. The characteristic large, slow movements of the eyeballs are directed opposite to the prior direction of rotation.
This is a highly specific medical and physiological term. It is used to describe a reflexive vestibular-ocular response observed in clinical tests and neurological research. - It is typically used in formal, academic, or clinical contexts. - The term is often part of a diagnostic description following vestibular function testing.
- In a clinical report: "The patient exhibited pronounced post-rotational nystagmus after the Barany chair test was halted."
- In a research paper: "The duration and velocity of post-rotational nystagmus were measured to assess vestibular adaptation."
- In an explanation: "Post-rotational nystagmus is a normal response caused by the inertia of the fluid in the semicircular canals."
- The phenomenon is a key component of the rotational chair test, a standard vestibular assessment.
- The direction of the slow phase of post-rotational nystagmus is a direct indicator of which semicircular canal system was stimulated.
- Analysis of its duration and decay can help differentiate between peripheral and central vestibular disorders.
- Nystagmus (n): The broader category of involuntary, rhythmic eye oscillations.
- Rotational nystagmus (n): Nystagmus that occurs sustained rotation.
- Post-rotatory nystagmus (n): A less common variant spelling with the same meaning.
- Vestibular nystagmus (n): Nystagmus originating from the vestibular system, which includes the post-rotational type.
- Post-rotatory nystagmus (variant spelling).
- After-nystagmus (a more general term that can include other types).
- Stopping nystagmus (descriptive, but non-technical).
- Induced by sudden stop: This phrase is often used to describe the cause, e.g., "nystagmus induced by the sudden stop of rotation."
- Slow phase velocity: A key parameter measured when quantifying post-rotational nystagmus.
This term is compound in nature ("post-rotational" + "nystagmus"). The core word being explained is the entire compound noun "post-rotational nystagmus," which refers to a single, specific physiological event. It does not have idioms or phrasal verbs associated with it due to its technical specificity.
A doctor observes a patient's post-rotational nystagmus after a balance test.
- nystagmus caused by suddenly stopping the rapid rotation of the body; large slow movements of the eyeballs are in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation