Study on optimal sound stimulation of vestibular evoked myogenic potentials

ZHENG Ying-juan; XIE Su-jiang; WANG Jian-chang; BI Hong-zhe; CHEN Shan; YAO Qin; ZHANG Lin; XU Po; QIANG Dong-chang; TIAN Da-wei

Abstract：Objective We planned to determine the optimal sound stimulation configuration of vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) by investigating the effect of different sound stimulation parameters. Methods Nine healthy male volunteers were randomly divided into three groups. According to three-by-three Latin square factorial design, each subject being performed with nine VEMP tests induced by short tune burst (STB) with three different frequencies(250, 500, 750 Hz respectively), three different repetition rates (5, 7, 10 Hz respectively)as wel as three different plateau times(2, 5, 10 ms respectively)randomly. The induction rate of VEMP response, the latency of VEMP, and the interpeak amplitude and the asymmetry ratio (AR) of bilateral interpeak amplitude of VEMP were recorded. Results Different short tune burst frequencies had signficant effects on the latencies and the amplitude as well as AR of VEMP. In sequence of 500, 250 and 750 Hz, the latencies and AR of VEMP progressively increased while the interpeak amplitude of VEMP progressively decreased. The largest amplitude sand of lowest AR of VEMP was obtained at 500 Hz. Different STB repetition rates (5,7,10 Hz) had no significant effect on the latencies and the amplitude or AR of VEMP. Different STB plateau times had a significant effect on the amplitude of VEMP. However, the latencies and the AR of VEMP were not affected by different plateau times in sequence of 2 ,5 and 10 ms, and the interpeak amplitude of VEMP progressively increased. Conclusions The optimal stimulation pattern for evoking STB of VEMPs is frequency 500 Hz;stimulation repetition rate 5 Hz;and plateau time 2 ms.