Lindgren R, Svenson A, Olsson S, Ödkvist LM, Ledin T
Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.
Int Tinnitus J. 1998;4(1):67-69.
Evaluating the function of the vestibular part of the inner ear comprises more than the classic analysis of the lateral semicircular canal function. In healthy subjects, positional alcohol nystagmus may be seen after acute alcohol ingestion. Posturography has shown a deteriorated equilibrium after even moderate doses of alcohol, which speculatively could be an effect of otolith disturbance or a central integrative effect. We tested the possibility of an otolith effect by using linear acceleration in the lateral direction by means of eccentric rotation, stimulating mainly the outermost ear's otolith organ. The subject is seated eccentrically in a rotatory chair facing the direction of rotation. Thus, the otolith organs are stimulated in steady-state rotation. The subject experiences a lateral tilt and, in darkness, is instructed to put a short light bar in the position thought to be that of a water surface, which is identical to the perceived tilt. Twenty healthy subjects (10 men, 10 women) aged 20-29 years were tested before and approximately 1 hour after ingestion of alcohol, the amounts consumed corresponding to an approximate blood alcohol level of 0.05%, well above the maximum permissible level for driving in Sweden. No significant effects of alcohol were found. The otolith function probably is not affected by moderate alcohol intoxication levels. From this point of view, equilibrium deterioration due to alcohol ingestion in the erect position is caused by a central integrative deficit and not by an otolith effect.
评估内耳前庭部分的功能所包含的内容，比经典的外侧半规管功能分析更为丰富。在健康受试者中，急性摄入酒精后可能会出现位置性酒精性眼震。姿势描记法显示，即使是中等剂量的酒精摄入后，平衡能力也会下降，据推测这可能是耳石紊乱或中枢整合效应的结果。我们通过偏心旋转在侧向方向施加线性加速度来测试耳石效应的可能性，主要刺激最外侧耳朵的耳石器官。受试者偏心地坐在旋转椅上，面向旋转方向。因此，耳石器官在稳态旋转中受到刺激。受试者会感觉到侧向倾斜，并且在黑暗中被指示将一根短光条放置在他们认为是水面的位置，该位置与所感知的倾斜度一致。对20名年龄在20 - 29岁之间的健康受试者（10名男性，10名女性）在饮酒前以及饮酒后约1小时进行了测试，饮酒量对应于大约0.05%的血液酒精水平，远高于瑞典驾驶的最大允许水平。未发现酒精有显著影响。耳石功能可能不受中度酒精中毒水平的影响。从这个角度来看，直立位时酒精摄入导致的平衡能力下降是由中枢整合缺陷引起的，而非耳石效应。
