Researchers

The following New Zealand researchers are presently engaged in research into the balance system:

• Professor Peter Thorne at the Centre for Brain Research at the University of Auckland
• Investigating the blood-labyrinth barrier and inner ear inflammation in development of inner ear diseases, including Menière's disease, using various MRI approaches.

• Associate Professor Denise Taylor at the Auckland University of Technology with Stefan Marks Michel Neef, Michelle Wong, Andrew Curry and Lisa Goulart from the New Zealand Dizziness and Balance Centre
• The development of an immersive 3-D computer based intervention for visual vertigo to develop an interactive, fully immersive virtual reality system that progressively challenges the use of the visual system in balance control.
• A study to explore chronic subjective dizziness (CSD) and its impact on the lives of working age adults.

• Dr Stuart Mossman and Anne Burston (Physiotherapist) at the University of Otago, Wellington
• Audit of the management of vertigo in an Emergency Department prior to the availability of video-oculography with head impulse testing.
• Natural recovery of vestibular neuritis, comparing video head impulse testing with caloric testing.
• Pilot study assessing the efficacy of a questionnaire as a screening method to help in the diagnosis of patients with chronic subjective dizziness(CSD).
• Diurnal variations in the results of the Dix-Hallpike manoeuvre.

• Associate Professor Philip Bird and Professor Evan Begg at the University of Otago, Christchurch
• A comparison corticosteroid entry to the inner ear by systemic and direct intratympanic routes.

• Associate Professor Greg O'Beirne, Dr Melissa Babbage and Associate Professor Philp Bird at the Universities of Canterbury and Otago, Christchurch
• A study, using ultra-high frequency testing and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) to investigate potential injury to the otoloithic organs following stapedectomy, ossciculoplasty and tympanoplasty.

• Associate Professor Greg O'Beirne at the University of Canterbury
• Development of an automated system for combined measurement of oVEMPs and cVEMPs (visual evoked myogenic potentials).
• Development of Te Pihareinga - an automated system for measuring auditory-evoked potentials, including electrocochleography (ECochG), direct eighth nerve monitoring (DENM), and the auditory brainstem response(ABR).

• Professor Jeremy Hornibrook at the Universities of Canterbury and Otago, Christchurch
• Studies on the use of tone burst electrocochleography (ECochG) to diagnose Menière's disease, to help distinguish it from vestibular migraine and vestibular paroxysmia.
• Comparision of the sensitivity of MRI inner ear imaging and tone burst electrocochleography (ECochG) for diagnosing Menière's disease.
• Trialling a potential new technique to image the vestibular cortex on functional MRI (fMRI).

• Associate Professor Leigh Hale at the University of Otago, Dunedin
• Research on community-based falls prevention for older adults and with intellectual disability, and developing and testing measures of balance in multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and stroke.

• Associate Professor Cynthia Darlington at the University of Otago, Dunedin
• Studies of the human vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in humans with and without vestibular lesions.
• Use of the CANTAB cognitive assessment to study the effects of vestibular function of cognitive abilities mediated by the hippococampus.

• Dr. Yiwen Zheng at the University of Otago, Dunedin
• Mechanisms of tinnitus, the neuronal basis of tinnitus.

• Professor Paul Smith at the University of Otago, Dunedin
• Neuronal changes in the vestibular nucleus following unilateral vestibular lesions.
• The interaction between the vestibular system and the hippocampus, and its contribution to cognitive function.

• Dr Nick Cutfield at CoRE Brain Research at the University of Otago, Dunedin
• Comparison of caloric testing with head impulse testing.
• Collaboration with Cynthia Darlington and Paul Smith on spatial memory testing.
• Combined Neurology/ENT young adult vestibular rehabilitation clinic.

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