Spasmus nutans. A benign clinical entity?
R. A. King, L. B. Nelson and R. S. Wagner
Spasmus nutans occurs in early childhood and consists of a triad of
symptoms as follows: small-amplitude, rapid, horizontal nystagmus in one or
both eyes asymmetrically; head nodding; and anomalous head position. Once
thought to be a benign clinical entity, there are an increasing number of
reports linking spasmus nutans to optic nerve and chiasmal gliomas. We
describe 14 patients with spasmus nutans, none of whom were found to have a
tumor with computed tomographic scanning. One patient, however, had an
arachnoid cyst and an empty sella and another patient had a porencephalic
cyst. The diagnosis of spasmus nutans, its implications, and its management
are discussed.
