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Semin Neurol 2009; 29(5): 541-547
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1241042
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMPs): Usefulness in Clinical Neurotology

Krister Brantberg1 , 2
  • 1Department of Audiology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
  • 2Department of Otolaryngology, St. Olavs University Hospital and Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
15 October 2009 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Testing vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) may be the most important new clinical test for evaluation of vestibular function developed during the past 100 years since the introduction of the caloric test. VEMPs are easily recordable and therefore suitable for everyday testing in clinical neurotology. VEMPs in response to air-conducted sound stimulation using surface electrodes over the sternocleidomastoid muscles reveal saccular function, inferior vestibular nerve function, and vestibulocollic connections. At present, VEMPs are of clinical importance for estimating the severity of peripheral vestibular damage due to different pathophysiologic processes such as Ménière's disease, vestibular neuritis, and vestibular schwannoma. VEMPs can also be used to document vestibular hypersensitivity to sounds (Tullio phenomenon). In addition, VEMP testing constitutes an electrophysiologic method that is able to detect subclinical lesions in central vestibular pathways in patients with multiple sclerosis. In the near future, testing ocular VEMPs (OVEMPs) in response to bone-conducted vibration may prove to be of clinical importance for the evaluation of utricular function.

KEYWORDS

Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials - VEMP - saccule - utricle

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Krister BrantbergM.D. Ph.D. 

Department of Audiology, Karolinska Hospital

SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden

Email: krister.brantberg@karolinska.se

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