The effect of alcohol on cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in healthy volunteers.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the effect of alcohol on the cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs and oVEMPs). As alcohol produces gaze-evoked nystagmus (GEN), we also tested the effect of nystagmus independent of alcohol by recording oVEMPs during optokinetic stimulation (OKS).


METHODS
The effect of alcohol was tested in 14 subjects over multiple rounds of alcohol consumption up to a maximum breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of 1.5‰ (mean 0.97‰). The effect of OKS was tested in 11 subjects at 5, 10 and 15deg/sec.


RESULTS
oVEMP amplitude decreased from baseline to the highest BrAC level by 27% (range 5-50%, P<0.001), but there was no significant effect on oVEMP latency or cVEMP amplitude or latency. There was a significant negative effect of OKS on oVEMP amplitude (16%, P=0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
We found a selective effect of alcohol on oVEMP amplitude, but no effect on the cVEMP. Vertical nystagmus elicited by OKS reduced oVEMP amplitude.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol selectively affects oVEMP amplitude. Despite the effects of alcohol and nystagmus, both reflexes were reliably recorded in all subjects and conditions. An absent response in a patient affected by alcohol or nystagmus indicates a vestibular deficit.
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 26, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland; Neurology Department, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Rd, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia. Electronic address: sally@srosengren.org.
Sally M
SM
Rosengren
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 26, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 24, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
Konrad P
KP
Weber
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 24, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
Stefan C A
SC
Hegemann
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 24, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
Thomas N
TN
Roth
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001944:Breath Tests; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017120:Nystagmus, Optokinetic / Q000187:drug effects; D010037:Otolithic Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D058585:Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
D000431:Ethanol
Alcohol; Otolith; Vestibulo-collic reflex; Vestibulo-ocular reflex; cVEMP; oVEMP