[Influence of the quantified surface electromyography of sternocleidomastoid on cervical vestibular evoked myogenic...

This study investigated the correlations between electromyography (EMG) of sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP), and intended to quantify the influence of EMG of SCM on cVEMP by recording the EMG of SCM and cVEMP in different head positions.

Thirty healthy subjects (60 ears), without the history of ear illnesses, were enrolled in this study. In addition, the recruited subjects also showed favorable differentiation of cVEMP waves induced by Blackman pip cVEMP, and EMG were recorded in different head positions(with sagittal at 90°, 60°,45° and 30°angle), as well as to analyze and quantify the influence of EMG on cVEMP.

In the case of the different EMG levels: P1 latency, (12.50 ± 2.39)ms; N1 latency, (19.79 ± 3.16)ms, and the latencies shown no statistical difference (P > 0.05). The amplitude was affected by EMG level, there was significant difference between the amplitudes(F = 55.47, P < 0.01). The different head positions on subjects their EMG level or area of EMG effects were statistically significant (P < 0.01). The study found a linear dependence of the amplitude from the EMG levels(r(2) = 0.591, Adjusted-r(2) = 9.590).

The cVEMP amplitude increases as a function of EMG target level, and the latency remains constant. The quantized data will increase the amplitude in clinical diagnosis application of sensitivity, and it will improve the diagnosis of the vestibular system diseases and some related diseases.