[The otoneurological symptoms in diffuse axonal brain lesion from the age aspect].

Since in the acute period of diffuse axonal craniocerebral trauma (CCT) the patient is comatose or, less frequently, soporous, only objective otoneurological signs (spontaneous nystagmus, altered caloric nystagmus, and traumatic damage to the otorhinolaryngological organs) may be revealed. The caloric nystagmus usually possesses all the signs characteristic of coma of different depth (absence of the caloric nystagmus in the absence of all reflexes, respiratory and cardiac disorders, total or partial loss of the rapid phase of the caloric nystagmus with the eye drifting and stopping in the direction of the slow phase of the nystagmus, the duration of such a reaction increases 3-4 fold on both sides, the vital functions are usually not disturbed in this syndrome). Both syndromes are manifested, as a rule, particularly distinctly in increasing brain edema. In the soporous state hyperreflexia of the caloric nystagmus from 2 sides was encountered with its sharp tonicity, occasional drifts of the eyes in the direction of the slow phase of the nystagmus at the peak of the caloric reaction, or hyperreflexia and tonicity of the caloric nystagmus in one direction was revealed in loss of the slow phase of the caloric nystagmus in the other direction. The last named was encountered in predominant edema of one of the cerebral hemispheres. Distinct correlations were noted as a rule between the features of the caloric nystagmus, the level of consciousness, and the degree of brain edema judged according to the findings of CT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)