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Published on: August 4, 2022
Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in patients with BPPV
Stavros Korres1, Eleni Gkoritsa, Dimitra Giannakakou-Razelou
1ENT Department, Hippokration Hospital of Athens, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Summary
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is linked to more abnormal Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP) tests, potentially due to saccular macula degeneration. This suggests VEMP can help identify BPPV-related vestibular dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Neuroscience
- Vestibular System Research
Background:
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is often caused by degeneration of the otolithic organs, specifically the utricle and saccule.
- The saccule is a key component of the Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP) pathway, making it relevant for studying BPPV.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential alterations in VEMP recordings among patients diagnosed with BPPV.
- To determine if VEMP abnormalities correlate with BPPV, considering the saccule's role in the VEMP pathway.
Main Methods:
- Studied 27 BPPV patients (aged 20-70) and 30 healthy controls.
- Diagnosed BPPV using upbeating geotropic nystagmus in a specific head-overextended position.
- Performed pure tone audiometry, bi-thermal caloric testing with electronystagmography (ENG), and VEMP recordings.
Main Results:
- No statistical difference in P1 and N1 latencies was observed between control and affected ears in BPPV patients.
- A statistically significant higher percentage of abnormal VEMP recordings was found in the BPPV group compared to controls (p < 0.005).
- No significant relationship was found between Canal Paresis and abnormal VEMP, nor between the affected ear in BPPV and the side of abnormal VEMP.
Conclusions:
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is associated with an increased incidence of abnormal VEMP recordings.
- This association may be attributed to degeneration of the saccular macula, a crucial part of the neural VEMP pathway.
- VEMP testing can reveal subclinical vestibular dysfunction in BPPV patients.
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