Implementation of a New Clinical Rotation Test of Asymmetric Vestibular Function

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this Phase I SBIR is to integrate, validate and sell a new patent pending clinical rotation test paradigm into Neuro Kinetics' newly upgraded Neuro-Otologic Test Center to identify and characterize the severity of an asymmetry of vestibular function between the two ears. This new rotation test has the potential to overcome the limitations of rotation testing, as it is currently practiced, and to replace the clinical test that is traditionally used t o identify and quantify the severity of a unilateral vestibular loss, the caloric test. The immediate goals of this Phase I SBIR are described by the two Specific Aims of this application. The first aim is to transfer the technology developed in the resear ch laboratory to a commercial clinical rotation test system manufactured by Neuro Kinetics, Inc., and to implement a user interface appropriate for the analysis of vestibulo-ocular reflex eye movements evoked by this new rotation test. The second aim will verify the implementation by performing a limited number of tests on subjects with normal vestibular function and subjects with a verified unilateral loss of vestibular function. The tests will be performed in a clinical laboratory setting and will provide feedback that will be used to evaluate test comfort and to improve the user interface to the analysis software. In addition, the test paradigm originally used in the research to develop this new rotation test will be extended to take advantage of the capa bilities of the Neuro Kinetics' Neuro-Otologic Test Center. The results from the clinical tests will inform the selection of the test combination to be used in a future Phase II clinical trial.