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BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to compare the possible functional involvement of the vestibulo-ocular reflex in the follicular and luteal phases. METHODS: The research was carried out at a university located in eastern Turkey. The study included 37 healthy female volunteering students aged 18-25 years. The functional head impulse test was applied twice in the follicular phase and in the luteal phase, and the results in both phases were compared. RESULTS: In the functional head impulse test, statistically significant differences were obtained between the follicular phase and the luteal phase at the stimulus to the lateral semicircular canal direction total and 6000°/s² acceleration percentage of correct answers values, the posterior semicircular canal direction stimulations at 3000°/s² and 5000°/s² acceleration percentage of correct answers values, and the anterior semicircular canal direction stimulations at 5000°/s² acceleration percentage of correct answers values. CONCLUSION: In the luteal phase, which corresponds to the period before menstruation, the vestibulo-ocular reflex is functionally negatively affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Some studies have suggested that the human immunodeficiency virus causes dizziness and other balance problems; however, the exact effects on the vestibular system in acute and chronic phases of the disease are not clear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the human immunodeficiency virus on semicircular canals using a video head impulse test. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two cases were included in the study. Twenty-six of the cases had positive human immunodeficiency virus RNA (group A) and 22 had negative human immunodeficiency virus RNA with positive anti-human immunodeficiency virus (group B) laboratory results. Twenty-four of the cases were healthy individuals (group C). The vestibular system was evaluated with a video head impulse test in all cases. Results: In the evaluation of overt/covert saccades, a statistically significant difference was detected for the left posterior semicircular canal between group B and the other 2 groups. However, this was considered an incidental finding and not a clinically significant result. There was no other significant difference in the catchup saccades for other canals. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups for the vestibulo-ocular reflex gain. Conclusion: Although the human immunodeficiency virus has been reported to be vestibulotoxic in previous studies, we found that the video head impulse test findings were not affected in our patient groups. Because the video head impulse test is considered a high-frequency test of vestibulo-ocular reflex, it is possible that vestibular effects of the human immunodeficiency virus can be confined to low frequencies. It is also possible that HIV affects the central structures while sparing the peripheral vestibular pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]