[Vestibular evoked myogenic potential: a contribution to the vestibular physiology and pathology knowledge. Quantitative patterns in healthy subjects].
BACKGROUND
Vestibulocollic reflex is a muscular reflex which is activated by acoustic stimulation. It shows two components: the first one, the vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VMEP) related to the vestibular pathway and the second, to the auditive pathway. The VMEP potential could be useful for vestibular physiology and pathology knowledge.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the VMEP's parameters of normality and to evaluate influential factors such as age, sex or stimulation intensity.


METHODS
Prospective study of the VCR in 40 healthy individuals, distributed in 4 groups according to their age. Stimulation was carried out at 100db and 85db on each ear independently.


RESULTS
There are not differences between both ears and sexes. Normal latency levels must be separated between two groups of age: older and younger than 11 years old. Normal absolute values of amplitude response differ depending on muscular contraction, age and stimulation intensity. It is more representative to consider the difference between the values obtained in the two ears of the same individual than to consider the absolute values.
Pérez Guillén
V
V
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia. vanesaperez@wanadoo.es
González García
E
E
García Piñero
A
A
Piqueras Del Rey
A
A
Morera Pérez
C
C
Pérez Garrigues
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004576:Electromyography / Q000295:instrumentation; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests