Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41563462›Full record

SynthesisJournal of neurology2026

Prevalence of vestibulo-ocular reflex dysfunction in people with neurological disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Nicola Ferri, Michael C Schubert, Elisa Ravizzotti, Alessandro Bracci, Giacomo Metta Franceschelli, Diego Piatti, Paolo Pillastrini, Andrea Turolla, Marco Tramontano

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of neurology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Nicola FerriTranslational Rehabilitation Sciences Group, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
Michael C SchubertDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Elisa RavizzottiDepartment of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Alessandro BracciDepartment for Life Quality Studies (QUVI), University of Bologna, Rimini, Italy.
Giacomo Metta FranceschelliRehabilitation Unit, Maggiore Hospital AUSL Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Diego PiattiLaboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy.
Paolo PillastriniTranslational Rehabilitation Sciences Group, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
Andrea TurollaTranslational Rehabilitation Sciences Group, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
Marco TramontanoTranslational Rehabilitation Sciences Group, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy. marco.tramontano@unibo.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6034-0638

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNeurological disorders, a leading cause of global disability, often cause debilitating dizziness and imbalance. While subjective symptoms are well-documented, the actual prevalence of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) dysfunction in patients with central nervous system (CNS) damage remains unclear due to inconsistent primary studies. This research aims to determine the prevalence of VOR gain dysfunction, as measured by the video Head Impulse Test (vHIT), across neurological disorders.

methodsOur systematic review searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the WHO ICTRP for original articles from 2009 to September 2025. The JBI Checklist for prevalence studies was used to assess the methodological quality, and descriptive analyses were performed, followed by a meta-analysis of proportions using a random-intercept logistic regression model.

resultsWe included 48 studies, of which three reported on the same or overlapping samples. Thus, 45 unique studies (1604 participants, 792 females, mean age 56) were described. A meta-analysis of 33 studies (1129 participants) found an overall prevalence of vestibular dysfunction of 48% (95% CI 31-67%). Given the high heterogeneity, we performed subgroup analyses by condition. We found a pooled prevalence of 98% for CANVAS, 73% for ataxia, 44% for Parkinson's disease, 59% for multiple sclerosis, 15% for traumatic brain injury, 5% for multiple system atrophy, and 77% for superficial siderosis.

conclusionIsolated semicircular canal dysfunctions, as documented using vHIT, are prevalent in neurological disorders. Future research must elucidate their etiology and diagnostic potential, utilizing comprehensive vestibular assessments. Eventually, these findings should be translated into improved, evidence-based rehabilitation strategies. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42024575542.

Indexed as

Nervous System DiseasesReflex, Vestibulo-OcularVestibular DiseasesHead Impulse TestHumansPrevalenceCentral nervous system diseasesDizzinessHead impulse testMeta-analysisVertigo

Identifiers

PMID41563462
PMCPMC12823702

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.