Vestibular and auditory disorders.

Benign positional vertigo, the most common cause of vertigo, can now be cured with a simple bedside maneuver. A series of recent publications have clarified the pathophysiology of benign positional vertigo and documented the efficacy of particle repositioning maneuvers for treating the condition. The number of genetic loci and abnormal genes associated with inherited auditory and vestibular disorders is rapidly expanding. Within the past years, genes have been identified for Usher syndrome, Alport syndrome, deafness with fixation of the stapes and familial periodic ataxia. These discoveries should lead to improved diagnosis and, eventually, specific treatments for these disorders.