Pharmacological evaluation of an in vivo model of vestibular dysfunction in the rat.

A unilateral microinjection of either histamine or kainic acid was made into the medial vestibular nucleus of rats, eliciting robust barrel rotations that were evaluated by an elevated body-rotation test. Systemic pretreatment with betahistine or GT-2016 significantly attenuated the kainic acid-induced barrel rotations. These data indicate that the animal model described herein may represent a new model to identify novel drugs with potential antivertigo properties.