[Mechanism of development of reverse postoptokinetic nystagmus].

Characteristics of optokinetic (OKN), postoptokinetic (POKN), reverse postoptokinetic (RPN), and central (CN) nystagmi in respect to duration of stimulation were studied in rabbits. On increase of duration of the OK-stimulation, the POKN duration and the period of transition from POKN to RPN reduce while the duration and frequency of RPN augment. On continuous 60-min OK-stimulation the frequency of OKN gradually decreases starting from the 15th minute. A hypothesis of occurrence of RPN as a result of development of antagonistic excitation in the c. n. s. during OK-stimulation, is discussed.