[The role of the spontaneous occurrence of Pulfrich's stereophenomenon in the diagnosis of demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system].

PURPOSE: Checking the usefulness of the spontaneous occurrence of Pulfrich's stereophenomenon in the diagnosis of demyelinating diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Research embraced 22 patients with visual disturbances (including 9 patients with retrobulbar neuritis and others with anterior ischaemic neuropathy, central retinal vein occlusion, intrabulbar optic neuritis and traumatic atrophy of the optic nerve). The research also embraced 27 patients with demyelinating diseases (sclerosis multiplex). RESULTS: Spontaneous occurrence of Pulfrich's stereophenomenon was reported in 9 retrobulbar neuritis patients. It was also reported in 24 demyelinating patients. CONCLUSION: This simple Pulfrich's pendulum test is positive in 92% of demyelinating patients, including all patients with SM and retrobulbar neuritis.