Vestibulospinal reflex activity in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Postural effects during caloric labyrinthine stimulation recorded by stabilometry.

Postural sway has been quantified with stabilometry during caloric labyrinthine stimulation in an erect posture in 49 patients, aged 10--16 years, with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Thirty-two healthy children of the same age constituted a control group. The scoliotic patients tended to have an increased postural sway during labyrinthine stimulation on the convex side compared to the effects on the concave side. Significant differences were observed when left and right scoliotic patients were compared with the controls. The results can be explained by an asymmetric sensitivity in the labyrinth or by a dysfunction in the postural control mechanisms at the brain stem level.