[Functional study of vestibular receptors by combined electric and rotatory stimulations]

After a brief review of the anatomical and functional characteristic of the inner ear, emphasizing audio-vestibular relationships, a direct method for recording peripheral vestibular potentials, the Electrovestibulogram (EGV) is described and compared with the techniques Electronystagmographic. Stimulating electrodes were implanted in the round window and vertex of a group of guinea-pigs, with recording electrodes near the internal acoustic meatus. A permanent electric stimulation was combined with an intermittent vestibular stimulation (horizontal angular acceleration) to derive afterfact-free vestibular specific responses. The characteristics of the EVG responses were analyzed and compared with the data in the literature concerning the responses of single fibres, to validate the technique. The diagnostic value of EGV is discussed.