Aging effect on galvanic vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the characteristic parameters of vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) via galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) in healthy subjects of various ages to measure the effect of aging on GVS-VEMPs.STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study.SETTING: University hospital.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty-two healthy subjects were divided into five groups by age. Each group consisted of 10 subjects in one decade (except 12 subjects in the group of 60 to 69 years). All subjects underwent VEMP testing via GVS with an intensity of 5 mA for 1 ms.RESULTS: All 10 subjects (20 ears) in each group aged 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, and 50 to 59 years exhibited clear GVSVEMPs, whereas 20 (83%) of 24 ears in the group aged 60 to 69 years had clear GVS-VEMPs, exhibiting nonsignificant differences in terms of prevalence between the groups of subjects younger and older than 60 years. The mean p13 and n23 latencies and p13-n23 amplitude of the subjects in the groups aged 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, and 60 to 69 years differed significantly among the five groups: the p13 and n23 latencies of the group aged older than 60 years was significantly longer than those of subjects younger than 60 years and their p13-n23 amplitude was lower.CONCLUSION: The decline of the amplitude and prolongation of the latencies in GVS-VEMPs after the age of 60 may, at least in part, be caused by the decrease in the number of vestibular afferents and their caliber.© 2010 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. All rights reserved.