Vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials eliciting: an overview

Abstract

Recently, the favoured approach for unilateral testing of saccular function is the recently developed method of vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs). VEMP testing is a reliable technique, since it selectively stimulates and investigates each lateral canal in isolation from the other, providing information for the assessment of otolith function and inferior vestibular nerve integrity. The aim of this study was to provide a current review of the different methods used to record VEMPs. We noticed discrepancies in relation to the ways used to record the VEMPs in relation to the following factors: types of stimuli used (clicks or tone bursts) and body muscles tested, patient position at the time of recording, response, type of phone used and way of stimulus presentation (mono or binaural, ipsi or contralateral) and others. As a conclusion, despite the numerous studies in the field, there is no consensus in the literature as to the best recording method for VEMPs. However, the new ocular VEMPs in response to bone conducted vibration seem to be of clinical importance for the evaluation of utricular function. Further research is needed to support its clinical usefulness.