title: Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in patients with the mitochondrial A1555G mutation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the vestibular function in patients with the mitochondrial DNA A1555G mutation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from patients with the mutation at an academic tertiary referral center were prospectively recorded.
  
  
  METHODS
  The histories of five unrelated patients with bilateral moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) carrying the A1555G (A to G substitution at 1555 nucleotide) mutation were recorded, especially their history of vestibular symptoms. Thereafter, vestibular examinations, including positional, positioning and spontaneous nystagmus testing; caloric response testing; and vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing were performed. In the cases where the VEMP activity presented, the amplitudes of the first positive-negative peak (p13-n23) of the mutation group were compared to a healthy volunteer group and to a sudden SNHL group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four of the five patients suffered from repetitive vestibular symptoms. Positioning, positional, and spontaneous nystagmus were not observed except in one patient. Three of the five patients had normal caloric responses, but all the patients had abnormal VEMPs. The interpeak amplitudes in the mutation group were significantly lower at the intensities of 95 and 105 dB normal hearing level (nHL) in comparison to the healthy volunteer group. In addition, the amplitudes in the mutation group were significantly lower at the intensity of 95 dB nHL in comparison to the sudden SNHL groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicated that the A1555G mutation can cause vestibular dysfunction, especially saccular dysfunction and cochlear dysfunction. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the pathophysiological nature of the inner ear dysfunction in patients with the A1555G mutation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D002150:Caloric Tests; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D012444:Saccule and Utricle / Q000503:physiopathology; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial