title: Sacculocolic reflex in patients with dementia: is it possible to use it for early diagnosis?
abstract: Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive, irreversible entity associated with behavioral changes, memory loss and disturbance of daily life activities. Current diagnostic tools can detect neuronal degeneration in AD only after irreversible damage that already existed. Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) test utilizes the sacculocolic reflex arc and has been used in neuro-otology practice for many years. In this study, we aim to determine if VEMP can be used for diagnostic purposes at the earliest stages of AD. Twenty patients with AD and ten patients with mild cognitive impairment were enrolled in this study. Control group was 30 healthy volunteers with no neurological or otological diseases. Abnormal VEMP responses were found in most of the patients at different stages of AD. VEMP test may be used for early diagnosis of AD. Also, it may provide a novel advancement in understanding of pathophysiology of this disease.
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Meselik, 26480 Eskisehir, Turkey. lemanvezir@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Leman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Birdane
authors.forename: Armagan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Incesulu
authors.forename: Melek Kezban
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Gurbuz
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ozbabalik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012018:Reflex; D058585:Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology