Viral Neuropathies in the Temporal Bone

New morphologic evidence in human temporal bones from patients with vestibular neuronitis, Ménière’s Disease, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, and idiopathic facial paralysis is put forward to support the concept that these neuropathies are caused by re-activation of a latent neurotropic virus (Herpes family) located in the sensory ganglia. Previously unreported changes indicate that the efferent neuronal pathways to the auditory and vestibular end organs may degenerate as a result of their