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Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience pp 1–5Cite as

Vestibular, Canal Testing: The Head Impulse Test

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Definition

The head impulse test (HIT) measures individual horizontal (lateral), superior, and posterior semicircular canal function in the high-frequency range (Aw et al. 2001; Halmagyi and Curthoys 1988). The HIT is an unpredictable, passive, low-amplitude (10–20°), high-acceleration (2,000–4,000°/s2) head rotation approximately along the semicircular canal planes executed manually either by an operator or by an electromechanical device. It is performed with subjects seated upright fixating on a straight-ahead target.

How the Head Impulse Test Works

The angular vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR)’s function is to stabilize vision during head rotations and is mediated by the horizontal, superior, and posterior canals in the labyrinth which transduce rotational head accelerations. During the HIT, one semicircular canal of the push-pull pair in the plane of the head rotation is excited, while the other is inhibited, generating the total angular VOR from direct excitation and indirect...

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References

  • Aw ST, Fetter GM, Halmagyi GM (2001) Individual semicircular canal function in superior and inferior vestibular neuritis. Neurology 57:768–774

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  • Carey JP, Minor LB, Peng GC, Della Santina CC, Cremer PD, Haslwanter T (2002) Changes in the three-dimensional angular vestibulo-ocular reflex following intratympanic gentamicin for Meniere’s disease. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 3:430–443

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  • Cremer PD, Halmagyi GM, Aw ST, Curthoys IS, McGarvie LA, Todd MJ, Black RA, Hannigan IP (1998) Semicircular canal plane head impulses detect absent function of individual semicircular canals. Brain 121:699–716

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  • Halmagyi GM, Curthoys IS (1988) A clinical sign of canal paresis. Arch Neurol 45:737–739

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  • Weber KP, Aw ST, Todd MJ, McGarvie LA, Curthoys IS, Halmagyi GM (2008) Head impulse test in unilateral vestibular loss: vestibule-ocular reflex and catch-up saccades. Neurology 70:454–463

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Health and Medical Research Council Australia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Dr. Swee T. Aw M.B.B.S., MBiomedE, Ph.D.

  2. Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, 2050, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Dr. Swee T. Aw M.B.B.S., MBiomedE, Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Dr. Swee T. Aw M.B.B.S., MBiomedE, Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Swee T. Aw M.B.B.S., MBiomedE, Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Dieter Jaeger

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA

    Ranu Jung

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© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Aw, S.T. (2013). Vestibular, Canal Testing: The Head Impulse Test. In: Jaeger, D., Jung, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7320-6_154-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7320-6_154-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7320-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

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