LAUSR

OBJECTIVES To understand how the contralesional labyrinth contributes to gaze and gait stability after unilateral vestibular deafferentation (UVD). METHODS Head impulse testing (vHIT) was completed in 37 individuals (22 females [59%]; mean ± SD age, 52.13 ± 11.59) with UVD from vestibular schwannoma resection. Compensatory saccades (CS) and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain were analyzed for both ipsilesional and contralesional impulses. Gait speed (ten-meter walk test (10MWT)) and endurance (two-minute walk test (2MWT)) were collected for 35 individuals. RESULTS CS were recruited during contralesional head rotation regardless of VOR gain on either the ipsilesional (Spearman Rank; (95% CI)) ( or contralesional side (. Additionally, the latency of these CS (151.19 ms ± 52.41) were similar to those generated during ipsilesional rotation (165.65 ms ± 21.62; p = 0.159). CS recruited during ipsilesional vHIT were of a higher velocity (p < .001) and greater frequency (p < .001) when compared to contralesional CS. VOR gain asymmetry was significantly correlated with gait speed ()), yet individual VOR gain was not correlated (Ipsilesional:; Contralesional:)). CONCLUSIONS Our data reveal CS are recruited at similar latencies without correlation to VOR gain or direction of head rotation, and that the central integration of ipsilesional and contralesional vestibular afference correlates with gait. Together, our data suggest the brain considers vestibular afference from both sides when generating related behavioral output after UVD.