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Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in children
Pasqualina M Picciotti1, Antonella Fiorita, Walter Di Nardo
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. pmpicciotti@rm.unicatt.it
Insights
Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) are a valid clinical tool for assessing vestibular function in children. This non-invasive test helps evaluate the vestibulo-collic reflex in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) are used to assess vestibular and ocular motor neuro functions.
- Understanding VEMPs in children is crucial for diagnosing vestibular disorders early.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if VEMPs can be utilized as a clinical test for vestibular function in children.
- To establish normative data for VEMPs in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Investigated 40 children (3-15 years) divided into preschool and scholar groups.
- Recorded sternocleidomastoid muscle electromyography during neck flexion.
- Used 500Hz short-toned bursts at 130 dB peSPL for acoustic stimulation of saccular receptors.
Main Results:
- VEMPs were successfully detected in all pediatric subjects.
- No significant differences were observed in latencies and amplitude ratios between preschool, scholar, and adult groups.
- Established normative ranges for VEMP parameters in children.
Conclusions:
- VEMPs are a valid and non-invasive method for evaluating vestibular function in children.
- This technique is particularly useful for assessing the vestibulo-collic reflex in pediatric patients.
- VEMPs can aid in the early detection and management of vestibular impairments in children.
Objective:
The aim of this work is to establish if the vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) could be used as a clinical test of vestibular function in children.
Materials And Methods:
Forty normal hearing children, aged between 3 and 15 years, and classified in preschool and scholar group, have been investigated in order to study normal development of vestibular potentials and to define fundamental parameters of VEMPs, establishing normal data of latencies and amplitude ratio. Electromyographic activity of sternocleidomastoid muscle was recorded while children were laid supine on a bed and asked to raise their head off of the bed in order to activate their neck flexors bilaterally. The saccular receptors were acoustically stimulated with a logon of 500Hz at an intensity of 130dB peSPL presented monaurally through earphones. In each recording, we analysed latencies and amplitudes of the p13 and n23 waves and the amplitude ratio between the two ears.
Results:
VEMPs were normally detected in all subjects. In preschool group mean p13 and mean n23 latencies were, respectively, 16.13 (+/-2.12)ms and 21.17 (+/-2.77)ms; mean amplitude ratio was 28.49 (+/-18.10). In scholar group mean p13 and n23 were respectively 16.14 (+/-3.48)ms and 21.78 (+/-3.39)ms, while mean amplitude ratio 20.44 (+/-13.24). Comparison of latencies and amplitude ratio between the children groups and control adult group did not showed any significant differences.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, VEMPs could represent a valid and non-invasive technique able to investigate vestibular function in children and, in particular, vestibulo collic reflex.
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