Central nystagmus and its interaction with optokinetic and reversive postoptokinetic forms of nystagmus.

Interaction of central nystagmus (CN) with optokinetic (OKN) and reversive postoptokinetic (RPN) forms of nystagmus was studied in chronic experiments on rabbits. During interaction of CN with OKN or RPN not in the same direction, the latter are inhibited and CN is manifested during the next 5 sec. The reverse process is observed after a cessation of electrical stimulation. If CN coincides in direction with OKN and RPN, the period from the beginning of electrical stimulation until establishment of regular resultant nystagmus is considerably shortened. Furthermore, the period from the moment of cessation of electrical stimulation until establishment of regular OKN and RPN also is shortened.