Dr. Timothy Johnson: Gidget, in your hearing from these patients, what is their primary problem or complaint? What is their frustration? How do they talk to you about it?
Gidget Faubion-Jones: The biggest frustration is getting a proper diagnosis and getting treatment. Part of our biggest problem is that 80% of our people suffer from vestibular disorders. There are only 14 vestibular clinics right now in the world, and that makes it very difficult for these patients to get diagnosed. I should mention that there was a recent study done on cerebral impairment on a lot of our patients, that was a recent study done out of Berkeley by the way, and it basically points out the fact that it is a very devastating disease particularly with brain stem damage and other neuro-psychology type aspects.
Dr. Johnson: All right. I'm going to jump in on that point because your language may have lost a few of our viewers. You are in fact describing some balance problems, some inner ear problems, as you suggest, even some problems with the brain stem. Uh, back to Dr. Komaroff. Is that in fact a common feature of this disease?
Dr. Anthony Komaroff: Balance problems, dizziness, is a very common feature, and in some of the patients who are tested with formal tests of dizziness, there does seem to be a disorder of the balance center.
Dr. Johnson: OK.