gms | German Medical Science

Background: Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) is a relatively new method of recording function (and dysfunction) from the vestibular nervous system, but is quickly gaining wide acceptance on a global scale. Air-conducted sound can be used to stimulate the otolith organs of the inner ear. Use of this short duration and reproducible stimulus allows one to record high amplitude responses from either the sternocleidomastoid muscle (cervical VEMPs or cVEMPs) or from the inferior oblique muscle (ocular VEMPs or oVEMPs). The former is related predominantly to saccular and inferior vestibular nerve function and its pathway, whilst the latter relates predominantlty to utricle and superior vestibular nerve. Clinical applications are not restricted to the confirmation of Superior Semicircular Canal Dehisence Syndrome, but also has been found to useful for other conditions such as differentiating Vestibular Migraine from Meniere’s Disease, and also indicating the presence of conditions that specifically involve either the superior and/or inferior vestibular nerve in the presence of normal caloric responses. Neurological applications include ruling out vestibular neuropathy in the presence of a diffuse peripheral neuropathy. As a stand-alone lecture, a one hour session is planned. If a hands-on/practical demonstration following the lecture is considered useful, the total time would be expected to be 1.5 hours.

Results: After this teaching course, the audience will be able to practice VEMPs in their own laboratories, using recording equipment that they already have, and to be able to apply the results to help diagnose cases or to be able to explain the results of therapy.

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