Seasickness pathogenesis and the otolithic organs: vestibular evoked myogenic potentials study--preliminary results.
BACKGROUND
Seasickness is thought to result from conflicting inputs from the vestibular, visual and somatosensory systems. The otolithic organs, which are responsible for the sensation of linear acceleration and tilt, are important in the pathogenesis of seasickness. The vestibular evoked myogenic potentials test is an objective evaluation of saccular function.


OBJECTIVE
To examine whether saccular function is related to the pathogenesis of seasickness.


METHODS
VEMP was performed in 10 subjects susceptible to seasickness and in 14 non-susceptible subjects.


RESULTS
Bilateral VEMP responses were obtained in 7 (50%) of the non-susceptible subjects and 1 (10%) of the susceptible subjects. No differences were found between the groups in P13 and N23 wave latencies, amplitudes, N13-P23 inter-peak latencies, and peak-to-peak asymmetry ratios. More subjects in the susceptible group had asymmetry ratios > 35%.


CONCLUSIONS
The attenuated saccular response might be explained in the context of the neural-mismatch theory and/or the subjective vertical theory, as reflecting an adaptation effort to sea conditions. A larger study is necessary to determine whether a statistically significant difference in VEMP responses exists between seasickness-susceptible and non-susceptible subjects.
Tal
Dror
D
Motion Sickness & Human Performance Laboratory, Israel Naval Medical Institute, IDF Medical Corps, Haifa, Israel.
Gilbey
Peter
P
Bar
Ronen
R
Shupak
Avi
A
D000328:Adult; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004576:Electromyography; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009041:Motion Sickness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests