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Ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials in children using air conducted sound stimulation
Ying-Shuo Hsu1, Shou-Jen Wang, Yi-Ho Young
1Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Hospital, Department of Health, The Executive Yuan, Taipei, Taiwan.
Insights
Ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) show similar parameters in children over 3 years old and adults. This non-invasive test effectively evaluates the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) system in this age group.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Audiology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is crucial for visual stability.
- Ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) offer a non-invasive method to assess the VOR system.
- Understanding oVEMP development in children is important for diagnostic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare oVEMP characteristic parameters between children and adults.
- To determine the age at which oVEMP parameters in children reach adult levels.
- To investigate the relationship between oVEMP characteristics and structural factors.
Main Methods:
- 15 healthy children (3-13 years) and 15 healthy adults (24-33 years) participated.
- Both groups underwent combined oVEMP and cVEMP testing.
- Air-conducted sound stimulation at 105 dBnHL was used.
Main Results:
- oVEMP parameters (nI latency, pI latency, interval, amplitude) did not significantly differ between children and adults.
- Significant differences in p13 cVEMP latency were observed between children and adults.
- oVEMP parameters showed no significant relationship with structural factors, unlike cVEMP parameters in children.
Conclusions:
- The oVEMP test provides a reliable quantitative measure of the VOR system in children over 3 years old and adults.
- oVEMP parameters are comparable between children aged >3 years and adults.
- Further research with modified methods is needed for oVEMP testing in children under 3 years old.
Objective:
This study compared ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) in children and adults using air conducted sound stimulation to determine when oVEMP characteristic parameters in children reach adult levels. The relationships between oVEMP characteristics and structural factors were also investigated.
Methods:
In total, 15 healthy children (aged 3-13 years) and 15 healthy adults (aged 24-33 years) underwent a combined oVEMP and cVEMP test under 105 dBnHL acoustic stimulation.
Results:
Mean nI latency, pI latency, nI-pI interval and amplitude of oVEMPs of children did not differ significantly from those of adults. In contrast to oVEMPs, a significant difference in p13 cVEMP latency existed between children and adults. Correlating the structural factors with the characteristic parameters of oVEMPs did not show significant relationship. However, p13 and n23 latencies of cVEMPs in children were significantly related to the age, head girth, body height and body weight.
Conclusions:
The non-invasive oVEMP test can quantitatively measure the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) system, which has similar characteristic parameters in children aged >3 years and adults. For children aged <3 years, modified methodologies for testing oVEMPs are warranted.
Significance:
The oVEMP test may serve as an effective diagnostic tool for evaluating the integrity of the VOR system for those >3 years old.
